Eye Contact
by mikkimikka
Summary: Complete Kikumaru likes Arai but when the rich Atobe starts to show interest, will he kick his crush to the curb... And what happens when Atobe is dating Hiyoshi and he plans to have both him and Kikumaru? AtobeEiji. AraiEiji. AtobeHiyoshi.
1. Chapter 1

AN: hello. this is my second prince of tennis fic. And again, the star is Eiji. My first was "Gilded" and now this one is another eiji centric fiasco. This one I think is not as good so far. But whatever. This is also another rare pairing. As "Gilded" was Eiji/Inui this one is... ok I have it planned as Eiji/Atobe... ducks from tomatos

Warnings: This is boys love and strong language... oh and some OOC sadly. particularly this 1st chapter. i got review saying bad Tezuka. I know that already --

Disclaimer: I do not own prince of tennis. But I sure do love it!

Chapter 1

It wasn't as if he thought twice about it then. At the time it was just what normal boys his age, 13, did. It was normal for boys to engage in this activity. Wathching porn together. Comparing. "Racing". Sometimes helping. As long as they didn't make eye contact it was ok. He'd hung around with Oishi and Arai and many of the other tennis team members. And he'd often compete in their games and it was fun. Nothing was too awkward about the situation.

But then he grew up. Eiji Kikumaru was no longer 13, 14, or even 15 for that matter. He was 16 years old and awkward and aware. He looked back at his past and blushed. It wasn't like it wasn't normal what they did. In fact, it was just a part of growing up. But it was the very normalcy of it that made Eiji uneasy. He was different now. He was no longer a part of this boy society.

There was only one rule to the games. Don't make eye contact. But Eiji knew that if it were today, he would.

And that was the gist of it. Eiji Kikumaru was gay…

Kunimitsu Tezuka pinched the bridge of his nose as if trying to block out the words Eiji was telling him.

"And you're telling me this because…?" Tezuka asked.

"Because it's been bothering me and I had to tell someone—" Eiji proclaimed.

"You couldn't tell Oishi?"

"Err, I couldn't. Not after… he wouldn't look at me the same way," Eiji fumed.

Shuuichiro Oishi was Eiji's best friend for a long time. But that was part of what made him untrustworthy. Eiji had spent many nights at Oishi's and was really close to him. He didn't want to jeopardize that.

"Or Fuji?"

"No! no way! You don't know what he would do with THAT kind of information," Eiji paled.

Shuusuke Fuji was another of Eiji's closest friends. But he was also a known sadist. Tezuka could sympathize with Eiji's reluctance to tell the tensai.

"Then… then why me?"

Tezuka didn't really have to ask. He knew why before Eiji even said it.

"Because… you're gay too."

Which was obviously true. He and Ryoma Echizen had been dating steadily since the ex Seigaku Jr High captain had entered high school. When everyone found out nobody really made any big deal about it at all. So Tezuka didn't understand Eiji's alarm.

"Well, they've accepted me and Echizen. I'm sure they would definitely—"

"Tezuka! It's not the same! Arai and the others… well, we didn't do these things with you cos you were… well YOU but—"

Tezuka's eyes widened, well… as wide as tezuka eyes would get… "I'm me?"

"That's not the point!" Eiji blushed. "Arai and the others would flip. Not to mention they wouldn't feel comfortable… I mean—" Eiji paused and Tezuka raised his hand to urge him to stop.

"Ok, I get it. Well, Echizen and I are still treated the same. I'm sure no matter what things you and the other guys did won't bother them at all if they're your real friends. You act like me and Echizen are the only gay teenagers in high school tennis. I tell you, we're not."

"You're not?" Eiji asked, this time his eyes widened.

Tezuka shook his head. "Sure. You're surely dense for someone to claim to be so aware of his sexuality."

"Well you don't have to tease me. I never knew, that's all," Eiji retorted, ignoring the fact that Tezuka had actually teased him.

But Eiji was intrigued. Other tennis players who also were gay? Eiji's mind began to wander. Who could it be. Maybe Fudomine's Shinji Ibu. He was cute. Maybe he was gay too. Eiji chuckled to himself at the thought.

"Err, like who?" Eiji asked.

Tezuka shrugged, "Are we done yet? Cos It's my job to lock up the clubhouse now and you're holding me up."

Eiji nodded and stepped aside. But Tezuka's comment on other gay tennis players lingered in his mind.

When Eiji exited the club room after talking with Tezuka, he was greeted by Fuji's smiling face.

"Nya hey, Fuji," Eiji said, surprised to see him still there. "Did you wait up for me?"

Fuji nodded, "Yeah. Remember you promised to buy me a spicy bread since I helped you with you math studies."

"Oh yeah. I almost forgot," Eiji said waving his hand apologetically. "Where did you want to go?"

"The place on the corner is fine," Fuji assured his best friend.

Just then Tezuka exited and locked up the clubhouse. Since he was vice captain of the high school team, that was his duty.

"Hey Kunimitsu," Fuji called. "Want to get something to eat? Eiji's treating!"

"F,fuji!" Eiji gasped. "I don't have that much money, you know."

Tezuka looked at his classmates and shook his head. "No thank you. I have a previous engagement," he apologized before turning to walk in the opposite direction.

Eiji and Fuji began to walk to the bread shop on the corner near their school. It was a small family owned establishment but the Seigaku High School students really loved their treats. After school many of the students would stop by on their way home. Eiji and Fuji were no exception. Especially since Fuji had a slight addiction to the spicy bread they served.

As they walked to the establishment, shoulder to shoulder, the sun was already going down, as the practice had run a little long. And on top of that, Eiji had decided to pull Tezuka aside for a chat. Fuji, being who he was, was extremely curious as to the topic of that conference. He voiced his curiosity.

"Err… nothing really. I was just talking about not playing doubles, is all," Eiji replied with a small blush.

"Hmmm, that would be a real loss if you didn't," Fuji mused. But the tone of his voice hinted to Eiji that the genius didn't really believe the excuse.

"Oh and speaking of doubles, Oishi was looking for you!"

"He was?"

"Yeah, he said Arai had a new video he wanted to show you."

Eiji almost choked on the air. The nerve of those guys, talking about a thing like that in front of Fuji of all people.

"It's a shame," Fuji sighed. "You guys never invite me to your movie nights."

"Eheheh, I barely even go anymore either. It's just a few people from tennis club. Arai uhm… Satou. You know. Those guys."

"Ah, the shady type. Who thought you and Oishi would get so close to them," Fuji smiled.

"Eh, they're pretty cool once you get to know them," assured Eiji. "Oh uh here we are!"

They had reached the bakery and, apply to distract Fuji from the subject, Eiji held the door open for his shorter friend. He didn't want Fuji getting any funny ideas. And he especially didn't want to lead the other boy to know his secret. Well, on that he's gay, and two about the one who he had a crush on.

Maybe he wouldn't have minded hanging out with Oishi and them so much after all. He could keep the eye contact rule fine enough, he figured. But no… HE had to be there. He didn't know what it was about the other boy that attracted him so much. But it was there plain as day. Eiji was gay and he liked Arai Masashi.

"Which one are you getting?" Fuji asked, cutting through the acrobat's thoughts.

"Hm? Oh uh red bean," Eiji beamed.

The baker placed both of the boy's choices in the bag and then Eiji paid the total. Fuji picked up the bag and, reaching inside, pulled out his piece of spicy bread. He smiled as he took a nice bite

"Thanks Eiji," Fuji said as they left the shop.

"Hehe, no problem. I got an A on my test so I'm happy!" Eiji exclaimed. Eiji reached into the white paper bag and pulled out his own treat.

"Well, as I was saying before," Fuji continued, on the same conversation as before. "You don't have to be so secretive of me."

"What?" Eiji asked, mouth full of bread.

"Well, I know what you guys used to do there. Whatever. I have a little brother you know." Fuji beamed.

Eiji flushed and the brown haired Fuji continued.

"And I know you're been avoiding hanging out with them for a while now. Care to shed some light on that?"

Eiji just continued munching away on the bread so again Fuji continued,

"Ok well, I know about that too then. You. Like. Arai."

Eiji almost chocked on his bread but managed to stop himself from dying.

"fufufu," Eiji laughed. "Don't worry. I won't judge you. But you sure know how to pick em!"

"Nya! Don't tease me, Fujiko!" Eiji blushed. "That's supposed to be a secret!"

Eiji knew how well Fuji was at reading people, but he couldn't help but wonder if he were really that transparent.

to be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Thank you for reading. I am still skeptical about this fic but I think this chapter will kind of bring it out of the mire. More dreadful OOC-ness. Note about me, I, unlike a majority people here, only read the english releases of the manga. Therefore I am on Volume 22. Also I am only in vol 3 on the DvDs. So Most of my prince of tennis fic are weird in that respect as I do not know as much as you all. I don't like spoilers so I don't read up on the episodes. All my spoilers come from fics (i hate it when that happens lol). so yeah Ryoma's here in Japan and stuff... this is high school. Tezuka and the others are in Seishun High, except for Ryoma and the other 7th graders. They are 9th grade. While Arai and Momo and others are 1st year high school. Kikumaru and Oishi and Tezuka are 2nd years. And therefore Tezuka is vice captain.

Chapter 2

The room was dark but for the blue light emitting from the television. And Eiji kept his eyes fixed on the two entangles figures on the screen. The girl was wreathing, her fingers clutching the sheet. The man, the didn't even show his face, though he was steadily pumping and working. Eiji had seen scenes like this numerous times on this same television. It used to draw a lot of boys in middle school. Not so many now. But Eiji couldn't look back. He knew what he'd see. Arai, with his own hand down his pants stroking, as if this was the only thing that would save him. As if he needed the release. And the thought of that boy only set Eiji off. He stood, nearly knocking down his can of soda in the process, eliciting groans of complaint from the other boy.

"Kikumaru-sempai. You're blocking the screen."

Without thinking Eiji turned, his eyes widening at the sight he knew was there. Of Arai stroking his self and working his own hands to his pleasure. Immedietly he regretted it, but his eyes didn't stop as they ventured up, stoping at the blue (the tv light) patch of skin peeping out from his unbuttoned white collar shirt, and then continuing to that face. That smooth face, and long straight hair, falling against his neck and cheek, and that chin and his lips and—

Eiji closed his eyes, "Nya...Sorry." And stepped out of the way… "I have to go now."

He stooped down to pick up his bag, and waved good bye, showing himself to the door before Arai could get up to.

Eiji didn't plan on visiting Arai after leaving Fuji, but his feet had guided him to that house. He thought maybe Oishi was still there. Maybe they had already watched it. Maybe they could play with Arai's Wii console. But when he arrived Oishi was gone. Arai was alone, in lose basketball shorts and an unbuttoned white school uniform dress shirt. It was enough to make Eiji turn back, but Arai had touched his shoulder. He asked where the other boy had been the past few weeks.

Eiji lied. He said he was busy with school.

And Arai believed him. After all, Eiji was his sempai.

The next day at school Eiji arrived at practice on time, where he was greeted by an eager Arai.

"Hey, Kikumaru! We're going to play Wii today. I got a new game," he greeted.

"Aa, I don't know," Eiji lied. "I have to study."

Eiji continued past his Kouhai and into the locker room to change. During practice he had a chance to play against one of his upperclassman. It was a good match and after a few drills and such practice was already over. As the Seigaku high students began walking to the club house, Ejii caught up with Tezuka.

"Hey, Kunimitsu!" Eiji greeted happily.

Tezuka acknowledged his presence so Eiji continued on.

"What are your plans for tonight?"

"What do you mean?" asked the vice captain.

"Well, I don't know. I'm all caught up on my studying. It's been a while since I had an entirely free weekend."

"It won't hurt to study more would, it?"

"I just want to hang out with someone NOT Arai and the others for a change," Eiji sighed.

"Well I'm sure I won't be anymore fun. Tonight Ryoma and I are going to Atobe's—"

"Atobe!!!! Wah! Nya! Why!? I want to come! I never went to his place! I didn't know you were friends!? Should I come to your house or Ochibi's? What time should I meet you?"

"Actually, I don't think you should—" Tezuka took one look at Eiji's eager face and sighed. "Ok, fine." He just hoped Atobe was in the mood for more surprises.

Later as Eiji exited the showers, Arai approached him, his tennis bag slung across his shoulder, and a strange look across his face.

"Kikumaru-sempai," Arai said tentatively.

And Eiji looked up, confused. "Yes, Arai?"

"I understand if you should refuse. You don't have to lie," Arai said.

"What? I don't understand, Arai-kun."

Arai seemed to hesitate before saying, "You said you had a lot of studying to do. Which I readily understood as true. But it hurts that you lied because you wanted to 'hang out with someone NOT Arai'."

--------

"Ore-sama is not pleased!" Atobe said mournfully as Tezuka and Ryoma entered into his room.

Tezuka and Ryoma didn't seem to think anything of their friend's behavior although Eiji was quite curious as to the cause.

Keigo continued to rant about who knows what, feeling sorry for himself, and trying to emit sympathy from the walls, perchance, as there was no way to get any from his two stoic comrades.

"How dare he break up with oresama!"

"But weren't you going to break up with him anyway?" Ryoma deadpanned.

"That's not the point at all! That wasn't to happen until AFTER the party. It takes a long time to pick a suitable date for ore-sama! There's only a week until the event. This is awful, just awful I mean—"

"Nya… what event, Atobe?" Eiji's voice cut in.

The room went silent as 3 pairs of eyes turned to him. It seemed Tezuka and Ryoma forgot about his presence and Atobe were just becoming aware of his being there. Eiji shifted uncomfortable as nobody said a thing.

"What is he doing here?" Atobe questioned.

"He insisted on coming," Tezuka explained.

"Nya, I hope that wasn't too much a bother," Eiji blushed.

Atobe seemed to be turning it over in his mind and then with a flick of his wrist turned back to his friends. "What should ore-sama do!"

"Just find a new date?" Eiji butted in yet again.

Atobe's eye twitched. He was in a ranting mood. When he was in a ranting mood nobody interrupted. "Ore-sama already explained," he sighed as if repeating himself took all of his strength. "A suitable date is just hard to come by."

"Bring a friend?" Eiji asked tilting his head.

Atobe's eye twitched again.

"Is he always like this?" the self proclaimed king asked, turning to the other two boys in the room.

Ryoma shrugged and Tezuka also was silent.

-----

"Who was Atobe's girlfriend anyway?" Eiji asked, curiosity rising.

He, Tezuka, and Ryoma were walking to the street courts after leaving Atobe's home.

"Didn't you hear, Kikumaru sempai?" Ryoma said.

A confused look washed across Eiji's features.

"He clearly said a boy broke up with him," Ryoma clarified.

"Oh!" Eiji gasped. "Who! Nya! Ochibi tell me! Oh let me guess! Jirou Akutagawa!!!"

"Wakashi Hiyoshi."

"EH!" Eiji gasped. "Gekokujou guy!?"

Ryoma seemed annoyed by Eiji's loud outburst, but he said nothing as he followed Tezuka up the steps to the courts. Eiji followed, practically bouncing up the stairs but his bouncy gait came to a stop as he saw something… or rather someone unexpected waiting at the top.

"Kikumaru sempai."

"Arai," Eiji said in acknowledgement. "Are you here to play too?"

"Well, why else would I be at a ocurt on my day off," Arai pointed out. "And with my tennis stuff too." He gestured at his clothes and swung his racket slightly.

Tezuka nodded and greeted Arai as well.

"Hello, tezuka fukobuchou," Arai greeted. "And Echizen."

He waved as the two walked off and Eiji seemed to hesitate, wondering if he should follow. His feet failed him so he decided to say something. Anything.

"Say, Arai—" Eiji began slowly. Cautiously.

Arai turned to face his sempai. "Yes?"

"Did you have fun playing your new game?"

Arai kicked at some dust at his feet, looking down. He mumbled a reply, "It wasn't any point."

"What?" Eiji asked.

"Well, there wasn't any point," Arai said louder now. "I had only invited you anyway. You were busy and I didn't bother asking Oishi sempai."

"Oh," Eiji said a little quietly. A throb of pain ebbed in his chest. "In that case, would you like to play now?"

"I'm already here to play tennis now," Arai noted.

"Right."

There was a bit of silence and Eiji allowed his eyes to meet with Arai's. Arai seemed to be thinking a bit.

"Aren't you here with Tezuka fukobuchou and Echizen?"

Eiji laughed, shrugging slightly. "I'm just a third wheel anyway. It's kinda like tagging along on their date."

"You don't even have any tennis stuff," Arai noted.

"I hadn't known I'd come here," Eiji admitted.

Arai seemed to be thinking as he spun the head of his racket against the ground. His eyes narrowed and Eiji shrunk back under his gaze. The older boy couldn't think of what could be so interesting about his face and he absent mindedly fingered the bandage on his cheek.

"A, Arai?" he stammered, he felt the heat rising to his cheeks from being under such an intense gaze by the one he liked.

Arai bit his lip as if hesitating and then suddenly spoke. "Kikumaru sempai. Do you hate me?"

To Be Continued….

AN: hello. thanks for reading. this chapter is a bit on the sucky side. and the ending didn't have the dramatic feel i was looking for. This conversation will continue in the next chapter though. See you then! please review i would be happy to hear from you


	3. Chapter 3

AN: another update this time half in Arai's POV

Chapter 3

Arai didn't understand why Kikumaru sempai was acting that way recently. Kikumaru hadn't always been his favorite sempai. He used to look up to Tezuka sempai a lot because he seemed so tough like a stone wall. But then he started getting closer to Oishi sempai, Kikumaru sempai, Takada sempai and the others started coming to his house a lot. They did a lot of activities and he got to see Kikumaru sempai laugh and smile and be like a light amongst the other boys. Where ever they went whatever they did, Kikumaru sempai was who Arai looked at. He didn't know when it started or why, but he was drawn by this gentle and loving sempai.

He remembered the last day of school for Kikumaru Sempai and the others at Seishun Jr High. Satou and Arai had cleaning duties and as the two 2nd years passed by their sempai's supposedly empty classroom and found it not empty at all. Kikumaru sempai was standing in the middle of the room, staring wistfully at his desk.

"Masashi?" Satou asked, but Arai waved him along. Satou reluctantly left his friend be and Arai slid the door to the 3rd year classroom slowly.

"Sempai."

Kikumaru looked up, as if startled out of his daze.

"Eh, Arai-kun," Eiji gasped.

"Shouldn't you be leaving?"

"You want me to go?" Eiji asked.

"Of course not, Sempai. I wish you could stay with us forever," Arai admitted. "But this is your last day and—"

"Yes, my last day as a Seigaku Jr High student. My last day to stand in this room…," Eiji mused. "Nya, Arai-kun! You won't forget about me will you?"

"What! Sempai don't say such strange things!" Arai cried angrily. "You're acting so strange."

Arai felt his heart quicken as he saw the soft and sad smile brush across his sempai's features.

"Sorry! This should be a very happy day, nya!" Eiji visibly perked up and ran forward to glomp Arai. Arai would of fell, but he was stopped by a desk.

"Promise not to forget your sempai tachi even though you're a big strong 3rd year and seishun's fukobuchou and—"

"Sempai—" Arai laughed….

They had kept in contact. He, Oishi, Satou, Takada. Arai knew he wasn't the nicest or well behaved children around. He and Satou always got in a lot of trouble in school and on the streets. But Oishi was always reprimanding them. And Kikumaru would always tease them to make it better. But somewhere down the line, Kikumaru stopped. In time it was Satou, Takada, Oishi and Arai. And when Kikumaru sempai was around he wouldn't smile.

He'd just stare. Like he was doing now.

"Kikumaru sempai… Do you hate me?"

"Hate you?" Eiji gasped covering his mouth with a hand.

Arai looked away. "Well It seems your avoiding me and not wanting to look at me. You never even want to look to my eyes. Even now it's like you're forcing yourself to be around me."

"That's not true!" Eiji said.

"Then why are you acting like that? The Kikumaru sempai I thought I knew was cheerful and friendly to everyone. He didn't single people out."

"Nya, Arai, sorry!" Eiji replied, forcing a his most cheerful smile. "I didn't realize. I must have been a bit absent minded lately."

"So you don't hate me?" Arai asked.

Eiji shook his head. "No. Never," he answered with the first real smile he'd given Arai all day.

And Arai saw that smile, that same small and sad smile… but this time there was no glomp. And Eiji walked away.

----

Eiji's cellular phone rang while he was buying nattomaki at the grocery store. He took it out his pants and stared at the display screen.

'What number is this?' he wondered before answering.

"Hello?" he said tentatively.

"Hello. Is this Kikumaru?" a deep voice asked on the other end.

"Eh? Y,yes! Nya Who is this?"

"Well, it is— stop it! I am doing it! Quit interrupting Ore-sama while on the phone—" The person on the other line seemed to be arguing with someone on the other end.

"Atobe?" Eiji gasped, paying for his food. He marched out of the door as the boy on the other end of the line answered.

"Yes, it is Oresama. Kikumaru, I have a favor to ask you—"

Keigo Atobe was in his house with Ryoma and Tezuka. They were sitting around with Atobe again complaining about his lack of a date to the party when Tezuka mentioned that Eiji would probably like to attend the party too. Of course Atobe protested, saying he had higher standards than that! But after much argument Atobe finally gave in and Tezuka gave the haughty boy Kikumaru's number.

And so there Atobe was now. On the phone about to ask a boy he barely knew out on a date to a VERY IMPORTANT PARTY. His blood almost boiled, but he couldn't show up alone… especially since Hiyoshi would be there too.

"What's the favor?" The cheery voice asked on the other line.

Atobe answered through clinched teeth, "Do you want to be Oresama's date to a party this Saturday?"

"PARTY!"

Atobe held the phone away from his ear and then brought it back when the other boy stopped screaming.

"Yes, a party. It's a very dignified engagement it's coat and tie," Atobe announced, folding his arms across his chest.

"Aa! OK Atobe! I'll go! I'll go! Nya! I love parties!"

"Good. I'll have my people get with you about the details soon. Thank you Kikumaru."

Atobe ended the call and then turned to his two friends.

"Ok, he said yes," Atobe said. "But you know Oresama is only doing this because—" he didn't want to say he was desperate. "Because Oresama is easily bored at these functions."

"Don't worry," Ryoma assured with a smirk. "Eiji's always a lively person to be around."

Atobe forced down the bad feeling lingering in the pit of his stomach. It'd be ok, he reasoned in his mind. Besides, Hiyoshi had dumped him for a person he was bringing to that very party. Atobe clinched his fist. "Ore-sama'll show you, Wakashi Hiyoshi-kun! With your pretty hair and stupid Gekokujou! Nobody messes with Keigo Atobe and lives!"

Ryoma and Tezuka watched as Atobe mutter uncharacteristically to himself.

"Will he be ok?" Ryoma asked his boyfriend.

Tezuka managed to raise his brow skeptically. "The question is… will Eiji be?"

Across town, Eiji was being a happy boy dancing about his room.

"A date! A date! I have a date!" he sang, flopping giddily back into his bed with his convenience store bag. The contents spilled onto his bed and he picked up the natto maki.

"A date! Nya! A date!" He continued to sing as he peeled open his snack.

He began to hum as he bit and chewed his snack but then realization seemed to wash over him. He had a date… a date with Keigo Atobe. His mouth dropped open and his food spilled out.

To be continued…

AN: thanks again for reading. Please review! uhmmmm kinda short but i plan for a lot to happen in the coming chapters.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: ok those who have been reading this story may be confused. I have completed a number of changes. I changed the rating back to "T" as I think i was a bit prude to give it an "M" rating. I also combined chapters 1&2, 3&4 and 5&6 to make 3 longer chapters and so the story woudn't be so cut up and choppy! Therefore it is differant amount of chapters now! Hope you enjoy it! And enjoy chapter 4, previously would have been 7!

Chapter 4

"—and be sure to keep your head up at all times! Being Ore-sama's date is a privilege and we can't have you looking frumpy."

"Nya! I get it!" Eiji interjected. It was the night of his date with Atobe and ever since he got in the limo, the drama king wouldn't stop listing his expectations. "Atobe-kun…"

"Sama! Atobe-sama!"

"OK… Atobe-sama. Aren't I already doing you a favor by coming in the first place? You only want to make Hiyoshi-san jealous, ne?" Eiji asked, stretching against the limo seat.

Atobe's mouth straightened ino a stern line, and he looked like he wanted to say something. He just looked away.

Eiji giggled, "Nya. Sorry Atobe…sama. Let's enjoy ourselves!"

Atobe turned his attention back to Eiji and Eiji flashed him a winning smile.

"Kikumaru-san?"

"Yes, Atobe-sama?"

Atobe pointed to his own cheek. "Ore-sama was wondering about this."

Eiji made a confused face but then began to laugh when he realized Atobe was referring to his bandage.

"Nya, don't you think it suits me?"

"Ore-sama think it's stupid," Atobe replied, closing his eyes and turning away from his date. "And trivial… and cute."

Eiji blushed. Did Keigo Atobe just say something about him was cute?

"Nya, Atobe-sama," he began, and the other boy in the back seat turned to regard him once again.

"I think this is cute too," Eiji admitted, pointing to right beneath his own eye in reference to Keigo's 'charm point' mole. It was Atobe's turn to blush.

It wasn't long until they reached the party. As Eiji suspected, it was really extravagant and everyone looked excessively rich! As soon as he stepped out of the limosene his eyes bugged out in awe. It was all so plush! His date was already walking off so Eii trailed behind him.

Everyone knew who Atobe was, of course and many of the other guest stared after the two as they made their way through the crowd. Every once in a while, Atobe would stop and speak briefly with someone, and then afterwards motion for Eiji to come follow him again.

"What kind of party is this?" Eiji asked, finally walking at Atobe's side.

"Coach Sakaki's cousin's party."

"Huh? A birthday? All of this?" Eiji gestured with hs hand.

"Yes? Why not all of this?" Atobe aslso gestured with his hand. "And Ore-sama cannot seem to find the birthday girl."

Eiji looked around him. He didn't notice before, but he and Atobe were among the oldest people at the party. Children were everywhere. Ok, so maybe children wouldn't be the correct term. Preteens or maybe jr high school students.

"You drug me to a jr high school party!?" Eiji shouted suddenly in realization!

Atobe's eye twitched and he quickly grabbed Eiji's hand and led him away from the crowd.

"Why are you being so loud" Atobe questioned. "And yes this may be a 'child's' party but she's a very important child! Ore-sama would be in big trouble if didn't come. Besides, Ore-sama's friends are supposed to be coming too."

Eiji's shoulders slumped. "Aw. I wanted to go to a rich person's party."

"You are at a rich person's party."

"I mean a rich person's party with—" Eiji grabbed a flute of cider from a passing waiter' tray. "With wine and cheese!"

Atobe's mouth twitched up into a smile. "Well, aren't you a cheeky little fellow?"

"Hmmm?" Eiji asked with the glass to his lips. "I don't know what you mean, nya."

"Ore-sama likes it."

Eiji's face began to grow red. Atobe always knew what to say to get a boy to fall for him. Eiji cursed himself for being so weak.

"Atobe—"

Keigo and Eiji both turned to see Gakuto Mukahi and Yuushi Oshitari.

"Oh, hello!" Eiji greeted, happy for the distraction. He recognized these two as Atobe's team mates. He waved happily but sent a glare towards Mukahi that didn't go unnoticed by the other acrobat.

"So," Mukahi began. "I see Atobe has lowered his standards greatly."

Oshitari quickly cut in, "How long have you two been here?"

"Only a few minutes. Have you two seen Maki-chan?" Atobe asked.

"Actually we just saw her. Want us to show you?" Oshitari asked.

"That would please Ore-sama greatly."

"Atobe-sama, is Maki chan the birthday girl?" Eiji asked as they began following the dirty pair.

Mukahi turned to regard his rival. "What are you? Stupid? She's Coach's cousin!"

"Well you act like I go to Hyotei or something," Eiji huffed.

"I hope you're ready, Atobe. She thinks this year you'll finally accept her proposal," Oshitari warned.

Atobe waved Oshitari's warning away with his hand.

"Don't be silly. She knows I'm with Hiyoshi.—" Atobe paused abruptly. "I mean, I'll just tell her I'm with Kikumaru now." He seemed to be grinding his teeth, and Eiji, Gakuto, and Yuushi all gave him a worried glance. Oshitari shook his head.

"So you're really with Kikumaru now?" Mukahi questioned.

"Tonight I am, and that's all Maki-chan needs to know."

Just then a little girl approached them.

"Kei-nii-sama!" She said running into Atobe's arms.

"Maki-chan!" Atobe gasped in surprise, while keeping his balance. Eiji jumped out of the way.

"Kei-nii-sama! I'm 13 now!" the girl said, not letting go of Atobe's waist and looking up at him with wide eyes. "Can you marry me now?"

The girl was so cute! She was really small, only about 4'7 in shoes and her dress was so puffy Eiji thought it might eat her. She completed the look with big bouncy curls.

"Ma,maki-chan," Atobe stammered. "Happy birthday."

Eiji was awed. Atobe was usually so arrogant and proud, but he seemed to be gentle to this girl.

"Aw, Kei-nii-sama!" She hugged him again. "So you will marry Maki-chan?"

"Maki-chan!" Atobe started, eliciting snorts and giggles from Mukahi. "You know I can't marry you…"

"But… but Maki-chan saw Wakashi-nii-san with a girl earlier! Doesn't it mean you can marry me now?"

"What? Wakashi-kun was with a girl?" Atobe visibly darkened.

"Yes. Tell him, Yuu-nii-san!"

"Well?" Atobe reverted to his normal tone and turned to regard Oshitari and Gakuto who suddenly was looking everywhere else but toward Atobe.

"Well, Maki-chan," Atobe turned his attention to the girl again. "I may not be with your Wakashi-nii-san anymore but I'm with Kikumaru."

Maki turned her attention to the stranger beside Atobe that she failed to recognize.

"Hi maki-chan! I'm Eiji Kikumaru! I hope we can get along, nya!" Eii greeted enthusiastically.

Maki didn't return his vigor. She gave Eiji a look once over, crossed her arms, and turned away from both Atobe & Eiji.

"Hmph! Maki-chan cannot believe Kei-nii-sama would choose this poor looking boy over Maki-chan-ohime-sama!"

Eiji's eyes widened. Were all rich people crazy or what?

To be continued….

AN: thank you for reading! I really appreciate all readers and especially reviewers!


	5. Chapter 5

AN: short chapter. I am going to try and make the rest of the chapters longer like the first 4! Please bear with me. it's just I like to post fast so if I have a little bit I always want to post! lol. anyway hope you enjoy this!

Chapter 5

Atobe and Eiji were shocked by Maki's harsh words, but Atobe still proceeded to grab Eiji's hand.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Maki-chan," Atobe said.

Eiji blushed at the slight pressure when Atobe squeezed his hand.

Maki turned and shifted. "It's ok, Kei-nii-sama! There's always next year! I have to greet the other guest! Bye!" She skipped off.

"Wah! She's so cute (and scary!)" Eiji cried. "No wonder you all came to her party!"

When he turned to Atobe though, he saw a troubled look on his features.

"Atobe-sama?"

Before Mukahi could stop him, Eiji reached up and turned Atobe's face toward him.

"Don't look so glum! We're at a party."

He had both hands on either side of Atobe's face and was staring up at the handsome boy earnestly. Mukahi's jaw dropped. He had never seen anyone touch Atobe that way, but what shocked him more was Atobe's reaction. A small but distinct pink blush was spreading across the Hyotei king's face and a smile tugged at his lips.

"You're right, Kikumaru. I'm glad I brought you."

Eiji laughed and Atobe's smile widened.

Oshitari and Mukahi were flabbergasted.

Atobe tugged Eiji's hands away from his face and clasped them in his.

"Uh, hate to interrupt this moment but… here comes the others," Mukahi announced.

Atobe and Eiji looked towards where Mukahi was pointing and there was Taki, Shishido, Ohtori, and Hiyoshi… with a girl. A mousy little girl.

"Ah, Keigo," Hiyoshi greeted, stepping forward, but Atobe looked past him.

"Hello Shishido, Ohtori, Taki. Where's Jirou-kun?" Atobe asked.

"Probably sleeping somewhere," Taki replied.

"Eh, Shishido-san. Why'd Atobe ignore Wakashi-san?" Choutaro asked a bit too loudly.

Atobe grit his teeth and Choutaro, realizing his error, stepped behind Shishido, though that was a dismal hiding place for the overgrown boy.

"Keigo," Hiyoshi tried again. "W—"

Atobe snapped. "Who is this girl!?"

The girl in question slunk behind Hiyoshi and had more success than Choutaro.

"Wakashi, your boyfriend is scary---" she whimpered.

"Ok, what is she talking about?" Atobe asked. "You broke up with Ore-sama to date her!"

There was silence. Lot of silence, before Shishido finally began laughing and Hiyoshi smacked his hand against his face, covering his eyes.

"What? What's so funny?" Atobe demanded.

"Keigo… this is Akemi Hatta. She's my cousin," Hiyoshi explained.

"You're dating your cousin?" Atobe asked.

"Just let him finish!" Shishido reprimanded, but Atobe shot him a death glare that sent him hiding behind Choutarou for a change.

"Last week when I called you saying I couldn't go to Maki-chan's party with you because I was taking someone else… that someone else was Akemi. My mom wanted me to take her since she's visiting for the weekend. You would of known that if you hadn't hung up and ignored me and all of my calls this past week," Hiyoshi scolded.

Atobe went beet red. There was some silence.

"Awkward…" that was of course, Mukahi on the verge of more laughter. Oshitari cupped his hand over his friend's mouth.

"You mean you weren't breaking up with Ore-sama?" Atobe asked.

Hiyoshi grabbed his head in frustration.

"Are you serious? I just explained everything to you, Keigo!"

"Oh, but—" Atobe turned to Eiji who by this time felt like such a third wheel. "Kikumaru's my date."

Hiyoshi looked about ready to behead somebody… (or maybe gekokujou would be a better term for Hiyoshi), probably his boyfriend, or Eiji… or even more likely… both.

-to be continued

an: thanks for reading. please review. any comments or crits? also, more Eiji and Arai next chapter! OH and before i forger, i am having trouble coming up with a proper summary for this story. I do know what it's about. a slight premise is in my profile. any ideas?


	6. Chapter 6

AN: I told you more Arai! This has a lot more Arai. I love how Arai's such a minor character cos I can manipulate him to my every whim! ok not really... he DOES have a personality but... less of one than like... Atobe. lol Anyway, there's a kind of flashback thingy and then it goes back to normal as Arai's thinking (much like the other Arai centric chapter). Hope it doesn't confuse anyone! enjoy!

Chapter 6

"Kikumaru's my date."

Hiyoshi looked about ready to behead somebody… (or maybe gekokujou would be a better term for Hiyoshi), probably his boyfriend, or Eiji… or even more likely… both.

"Errr, Hiyoshi-san, you mustn't misunderstand," Eiji pouted.

"Misunderstand what? His boyfriend found a new boyfriend in only a week's time," Mukahi cut in.

"Gakuto!" Atobe scolded. "Kikumaru's not Ore-sama's new boyfriend if Wakashi-kun never broke up with him."

"If?" Hiyoshi asked.

"You mustn't misunderstand," Eiji said again. "Atobe-sama was in such a poor mood this week and I begged him to let me come! Don't be sore with him!" Eiji pleaded.

Hiyoshi seemed to be turning this over in his mind for a moment but then shrugged it away. "I have no reason to not believe, Kikumaru."

Eiji seemed pleased with that result and Atobe nodded.

"Ore-sama is just relieved everything worked out," the boy said while flipping his hair.

"Whatever," Hiyoshi muttered. "So… anyway, this is Akemi—"

"Hi, I'm Wakashi's cousin!" the girl said.

Introductions were in order, and Atobe introduced everyone around them and Eiji watched as the group laugh and joked about various Hyotei matters. Eiji's eyes glazed as he observed the scene. He was actually having a lot of fun with Atobe that night, he sort of regretted that he'd have to share the, as Ryoma would say, King of Monkeys, with Wakashi Hiyoshi…

Wait—what was he saying? Share Atobe? First off Atobe wasn't his to share and second what would that even MEAN. Eiji shook the thoughts out of his head (as he couldn't possibly be developing a slight feeling towards Atobe…right?) and laughed at a joke Taki was telling, though he didn't hear it. Everyone else was laughing so… why not?

* * *

Masahi Arai had a part time job. It was a well paying job, but he had to wear a weird bow tie and vest ensemble. He had to carry treys of fancy finger foods. He was… a waiter at a 5 star hotel. This night it seemed was just as ordinary as any other night. He would come in through the back of the venue and begin by receiving his briefing. Apparently there was some sort of birthday party for yet another rich little girl. Arai really got tired of these types of things. Or maybe he was just a tad jealous. His family wasn't too well off, which was why he had the job in the first place. Anyway, after the briefing he would help lay out the table clothes on a few of the tables and then help the others in folding cloth towels… because apparently the rich weren't too fond of paper. Well, you get he point. Arai had a job.

"Arai," one of his co-workers said. "Be careful. They're still hot."

"Yes, Yoshizawa-san," Arai said taking the trey.

He had been working hard for a few hours now, running back and forth from the ballroom and hallway to the kitchen area. He was constantly retrieving more towels and food. Not to mention he always had to dodge the little runt children who were crawling about all over the place. This was definitely not his favorite night to be here. Sometimes it was kind of fun to go to work and see all of the rich people, but rich children were always 10 times more difficult to handle than their adult counterparts… wait no, he takes that comment back. At least the children don't get drunk.

Arai made his way out of the kitchen, this time clutching onto a large platter of a hot… something or another. He couldn't really tell. It looked like it was made with spinach.

"Excuse me, sir," a small voice called.

Arai looked down and brought the plate down to the children's level. Almost immediately, a dust of hungry children approached and devoured his ware. Once his trey were empty he saw something (or someone) amazing in the crowd. He couldn't be mistaken. It was his Kikumaru sempai holding the hand of none other than Hyotei's Keigo Atobe. He'd recognize that face anywhere from the tennis games and even from some of the parties he worked at.

How so very curious. They looked so familiar with each other. Did Atobe and Kikumaru-sempai know each other? Why was Atobe holding his sempai's hand that way. Arai clutched tightly at the trey in his hand, allowing his knuckles to go white.

"Arai!"

The sound of Arai's co-worker's voice brought him back into reality.

"Yes, Yoshizawa-san?"

"Can you go into the back and get some napkin?" Yoshizawa asked. "Afterwards I think you should take a break."

Arai nodded. "Yes, sir!"

As Arai turned to walk into the kitchen he didn't notice as Hiyoshi was squeezing by.

"There they are!" Hiyoshi was saying, accidently knocking into Arai's trey.

"Excuse me," Hiyoshi said.

Arai simply bowed. "Excuse me." And walked away, retrieving the napkins Yoshizawa asked for.

"Thanks, Arai! You've bee working so hard. How about you take 30 minutes?"

Arai nodded, "Thank you."

Arai walked back to the kitchen, but not without noticing that Eiji was still standing there with Atobe and some other people. Arai entered the kitchen and grabbed a glass, pouring some water in from a nearby pitcher.

"Arai!" a co-worker scolded. "Workers don't drink from the pitchers." She gave him a cross look, before disappearing out the kitchen with a tray of lemon tarts.

"Yes, Ishibashi-san," Arai nodded.

But she didn't hear his apology. He downed the class of water and wiped his lips with the back of his sleeve.

'What's Kikumaru-sempai doing here?' his thoughts came racing back to him. 'And with Atobe of all people. Could it be—" Arai's eyes widened. "A date?"

He said the last part out loud and one of his co-workers overheard him.

"What are you doing? Get to work," the other man scolded.

"Yoshizawa gave me 30 minutes," Arai explained.

"Then stop loitering. You're crowding up the kitchen," the other man growled, pushing past the young teen.

Arai rolled his eyes and walked away, setting his glass down on a counter. He then made his way out the backdoor into the cool crisp air. He shuddered against the wind hoping to clear his thoughts of his sempai. It was obvious Kikumaru sempai hated him. Kikumaru was just too nice of a guy to ever actually say it. Arai's face flushed over his mixed feelings. He was angry for being so naïve to think he and Kikumaru could have a special friendship. He hadn't realized the extent of his feelings toward his sempai until the older boy started to ignore him. He had realized how much just Eiji's smile and presence meant to him. Arai was pretty sure he was hated, and he had a hunch why…

There was that one time when he and the other boys were together in the living room. He didn't realize what was happening until it was too late. It was normal to do this together and the TV was really loud. There were too tangled forms on the screen and the girl's cries were so high and drowned out the moans of Satou who was beside him. Satou was left handed and Arai wasn't, so as they moved their arms constantly brushed each other lightly. Satou's warmth was like electricity, running up his arm and down his body, intensifying the pleasure he was giving himself. He didn't know if Satou was close, but Arai sure was. He unintentionally leaned to his right, taking in more of Satou's heat. The sounds of the woman on screen and the eager moans of the man plunging into her and Satou's rhythm were all coming together for a satisfying finish. Arai's eyes closed as he neared his crisis and the image of his favorite Sempai flashed before him as he came all over his hand.

"Ngh…Kikumaru…sempai—"

Arai's eyes shot open and as soon as his eyes focused he saw Kikumaru-sempai. There eyes locked and then just as quickly both looked away, uneasy. Arai felt his face flush. Had his sempai heard?

Nobody else seemed to notice. Satou was still working for his own release and Takada-sempai was crouched in front of the screen with a hand down his shorts. But Kikumaru just sat there clutching his soda tightly with his eyes glued to his own lap…

Sadly, Arai didn't know the truth of the matter. Kikumaru had long been harboring more than friendly feelings toward his kohai. It was during those meetings that Kikumaru had indulged in the sight of Arai pleasuring himself. But then that night… when Arai's eyes met his… they had broke the rules. To make it worse, Kikumaru was convinced that Arai wasn't gay. So then, flooded with guilt, Eiji took to avoiding them.

Arai sighed as he leaned against the brick wall and took in more of the cool night air. Yes he was sure of it… Kikumaru sempai must of heard him. He had to (an: eiji heard nothing) because ever since that night Kikumaru sempai had been avoiding him and the others. It shocked Arai of course to say his sempai's name while doing that… but as time wore on… he knew that it wasn't so weird after all. It was only natural to think of the person you liked. But in turn… he was convinced he was hated.

Another door further down the garden area swung open and out trooped a noisy group of boys.

"Nya! Wow look a garden!"

Arai looked to his left and saw Eiji and the Hyotei boys.

"Kikumaru-sempai!" Arai gasped.

Eiji turned towards the voice who called his name and…their eyes made contact.

To be continued…

AN: thanks and REVIEW... please. it would make me happy.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

After weeks of avoidance it happened. Their eyes made contact.

"Kikumaru sempai," Arai greeted. His eyes shifted and he noticed Atobe was now holding hands with a boy he recognized as another ex-Hyotei captain, Wakashi Hiyoshi. Arai felt at once relieved to know his sempai wasn't dating the drama king, but also felt disheartened as it was further proof his sempai wasn't gay.

"Hello, Arai. Ah, everyone, this is Masashi Arai—" Eiji introduced, flushing just a little.

Hiyoshi nodded, "Yes, I remember you. Wern't you vice captain of Seigaku last year?"

"Yes, I was." Arai felt proud that he was recognized as well."

"Nya! Arai, so what are you doing here?" Eiji asked.

"Oh I—" Arai was cut off by Atobe.

"Judging by that lousy vest and tie , Ore-sama says you work here."

"R,right… I do."

"Well then… shouldn't you be working?"

"I'm on break," Arai glowered, eye on the verge of twitching. Arai had a short fuse and Atobe knew how to light it.

"Nya! Atobe-sama!" Eiji interjected. "Leave him alone! He's just saying 'hi!'" Eiji at this point latched himself onto Arai's arm and the younger of the two began to blush lightly. Eiji looked up at his kohai with wide eyes… "Right Masashi-kun?"

Masashi… Masashi-kun…

The sound of his name on Kikumaru's lips… it was like a heaven Arai wasn't privileged to know. Arai jerked his arm away from his sempai and began to walk away. He was at work. He couldn't get all hormonal. Not now.

He kept walking, making it almost to the back kitchen door before he heard his name being called.

"Arai!"

Great, Eiji followed him. Arai turned to him, arms crossed.

"Kikumaru sempai… Why'd you follow me?" he asked, trying his best to sound annoyed.

Eiji stopped advancing, now only a few feet away.

"I just wanted to apologize."

"For what? Having such a rude friend?" Arai asked.

"Now who's being rude, huh?" Eiji deadpanned, shocking Arai.

"Sorry, Sempai."

They stood in silence and Eiji began poking at the brick wall. Arai never took his gaze off of the side of Eiji's face.

"So… you're close with Hyotei?" Arai asked.

"No. Not at all," Eiji began, filling his cheeks with air and then blowing it out. "Atobe is good friends with Tezuka and Ochibi. He's dating Hiyoshi-san although he was the one who asked me on the da—"

Eiji suddenly stopped talking, his eyes going wide.

"A… a date?" Arai finished for him.

Eiji kept his eyes to the wall and felt heat raise to his cheeks. Masahi Arai, the god of his fantasies, now not only knew he was gay, but also though he was on a date with Keigo Atobe. Eiji couldn't look at Arai. Not now, not ever. Eiji closed his eyes, hoping Arai would just walk away. Instead he was greeted with a laugh… a horrid cackling laugh. Eiji's eyes shot open, tears threatening to emerge out the corners. He turned towards his kohai, a questioningly look spreading across his features.

Arai was laughing, arms crossed over his belly.

"What?" Eiji demanded. "Is that so funny?"

Arai raised his hand and attempted to stop laughing. "Kikumaru sempai!" He gasped. "You're… you're gay?"

Eiji felt like dying right there and then. He felt like anything would be better than having Arai laugh at him. However, Arai soon settled down.

"Sempai! I thought you hated me because… I thought you were disgusted because I was gay," Arai explained.

Eiji's eyes widened like saucers. Masashi Arai… gay? Porn loving Arai? Straight porn loving Arai? The Arai who was constantly bragging with the other boys about his sexual conquest with girls.

"So… why do you hate me?" Arai finally asked… his voice gravely serious, and cutting through Eiji's thoughts.

'Hate you?' Eiji was thinking wildly. 'Why does he keep insisting that I hate him?'

"Is it because I disgust you? Am I not good company? I know I'm not always the smartest or best at anything, Sempai… but I try! I try so hard—"

"Arai," Eiji called…

Arai just kept talking. "And Sempai, even if you do hate me—"

"Arai-kun."

And talking… "I always try so hard when I think of you! You're my favorite sempai!"

Eiji then did something unexpected.

"Masashi kun! Shut up!"

Arai stopped talking and noticed Eiji beet red in front of him…

"Can't you be quiet for one second?" Eiji scolded… "Idiot!"

And with that Eiji reached up, placing his hands on Arai's shoulders, and brought him down into a kiss.

Meanwhile…

"What happened to Kikumaru?" Atobe mused out loud.

"Who cares. He followed that waiter boy," Mukahi grumbled.

"Hmmm," Atobe reflected. "Ore-sama is disappointed. Kikumaru's company was strangely comforting…"

Hiyoshi was laughing at another one of Taki's jokes and everyone else was lost in their exploration of the outdoor garden that nobody realized Atobe's quiet musings. Atobe remembered that wide smile and take charge attitude and don't forget the warm feel of Eiji's hands on his cheeks. Yes… Ore-sama wanted to know more about this Eiji Kikumaru. Yes he did like Hiyoshi a lot. In fact, he couldn't imagine what he would do without his little mushroom headed lover. But that still didn't change the fact that Atobe was a man of excess and of course... one was just never enough.

To be continued…

AN: I know Taki doesn't tell jokes... but I like to make him tell em cos I want him to be shown. Why? cos i have the hots for Taki! I dunno why but that Hyotei ex-regular is mine! Anyway this story is getting started after 7 chapter -- Arai has a short temper and Atobe has a HUGE ego! I can't wait to write about this clash! anyway, now we're getting to the meat of the story? I have so much planned! I write so that the story moves slow. I try to speed the story up but it's hard for me. I guess I just a weird writer. Anyway, PLEASE REVIEW. I cannot empahsis how much they please me! I only have the same reviewers each time. I love them to peices! LOVE YOU GUYS! Anyone else have anything to say?... REVIEW and i'll love you too! ONE MORE THING. Does anyone have a problem with me uping the rating to M. not now... but maybe in the future. cos i have weird plans but if somebody dislikes M fics then I won't do it. Also, this fic also discusses masturbation and male bonding and might have some heavy scenes so i dunno... review pl0x


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Why hello there. This chapter is really just to show Arai and Eiji being a new couple. And boy was it difficult to write!

Chapter 8

Masashi Arai was on cloud nine. He woke up in the morning smiling. He ate his breakfast smiling. He walked to school smiling. And then finally he dressed in the locker room, grinning like mad. Eiji Kikumaru was his boyfriend.

"Something's got you happy today," Satou, his best friend notice.

Arai just smiled cryptically to himself, "I think you're right." He pulled his white t-shirt over his head and put on his green bandana.

Satou paused in the middle of the putting on his shirt. "Ok, so who is she?"

"Hmmm?" Arai asked, his grin widening. "What makes you think it's a girl?"

"What!? So it is a girl! Arai you sly dog you!" Satou dived for his friend and put him in a headlock. Arai was flailing as Satou proceeded to give him a noogie. The other boys in the locker room laughed at their antics, but when their captain came in everyone stopped.

All eyes followed their captain as he made his way pass them all and to his locker.

"Well," he said.

… There was a silence in the room.

"Get dressed!"

"Yes, Ichitaka-buchou!" Everyone chorused.

Arai finished getting dressed and started to tie his shoes.

'I wonder where Kikumaru-sempai is… it's not like him to be so late,' he wondered to himself.

Arai got up and grabbed one of his rackets from his bag before shutting his locker. "Hey, Satou. You want to be my partner today?" he asked.

"Sure, Arai—"

Arai smiled at his friend and turned around, only to come face to face with Eiji.

"Aa, Sempai! Since when were you here?" he asked.

"I just got in," Eiji said yawning. He was still in his school uniform and a bit disheveled. Eji pushed past Arai and went to his locker, opening it.

"Good morning, Sempai," Arai greeted.

"I woke up late," Eiji said. "Nya, how disappointing. I wanted to get here early and hit balls with you!"

Arai blushed. "Kikumaru-sempai! I can still hit balls with you."

"Don't worry yourself, Masashi-kun. You're already paired with Satou-san," Eiji said, yawning again. He had stayed up late thinking of Arai and couldn't sleep. How embarrassing.

Arai stared down at his tired Sempai who was sitting on the bench looking awfully spent. Eiji was so cute he just wanted to squeeze him and hug him and hold him forever. So… he did. Arai hugged Eiji, surprising not only his boyfriend, but the rest of the room.

"OK! I'll hit balls with your later! I promise!" Arai said. He then let go and called Satou to follow him out to the courts.

Eiji was rooted to his place, a blush creeping across his cheeks.

"Saa, So I see you two finally confessed," Fuji said coming over to his best friend.

"Nya. I'm so happy," Eiji replied.

For Eiji. the morning practice wasn't so productive. Eiji kept looking at Arai who was playing doubles with Satou against two other team mates. Needless to say, Eiji's game suffered.

"Eiji, don't get careless," Tezuka reprimanded him as he scored another shot on him.

"Nya, sorry Tezuka! My mind just seems to be elsewhere," Eiji apologized.

"Oh?" Tezuka asked. But he didn't pursue the conversation any longer.

For Arai, he seemed to be happier than usual and he wasn't that annoyed when Ichitaka-buchou had ordered him to practice doubles with Satou. He didn't want to be doubles player, but it didn't hurt to practice. He knew one day he'd be a regular. He had to show Ichitaka-buchou how good he could be. Arai had gotten drastically better over the years. He was always decent. He was a reserve on the Seigaku Jr High team before becoming a regular his third year and even Vice Captain. Now it was his first year in high school and he was doing his best to keep up with the upper classman. He noticed that Kaidoh and Momoshiro were also trying their best. They were the biggest threat to him in his class.

"Game Satou-Arai pair! Change courts!" Inui shouted.

Arai and Satou gave each other a high five and walked over to get a drink of their water. Arai's eyes wandered across the yard to his boyfriend's game. Eiji was playing very sloppily against Tezuka. Of course, Tezuka made nearly everyone look sloppy, but today Eiji was especially off.

"He must really be tired," Arai noted.

"Or distracted," Inui said from beside him.

Arai looked at the data collector, curiously. "Distracted?"

"Well, by the display in the locker room, and your positive attitude and performance being 30 percent up and Eiji's performance 30 percent down… I would say you two were dating," Inui said, flipping through his data book.

Arai chuckled to himself. "Yeah, we are." He shrugged as if it weren't a big deal.

"What!? You and Kikumaru-sempai!" Satou gaped. "I never knew!"

"Yea? And what's it to you?" Arai snapped. He then composed himself and turned to Inui, "What do you mean Kikumaru sempai's performance is 30 percent down?"

"GAME! Tezuka—"

Arai looked over to the other court where his boyfriend was sitting in the middle of the court catching his breath.

"Hey!" Tezuka shouted over at Arai and them, patting his face with a towel. "Play!"

"Y,yes fukubuchou!" the boys shouted, scurrying to their places.

Arai went to his spot on the court, but not without look at Eiji and sending a smile his way.

It was lunch time when Arai next got a chance to speak with his boyfriend. After much deliberation he decided it wouldn't hurt to go down the 2nd year hallway to look for him. He padded down the hallway and said hi to Tezuka-fukubuchou as he walked by with an unknown friend. When Arai reached the classroom he stopped outside the door and took a deep breath. He then reached out to slide open the door. After opening it, he peered in slowly. Only a few of the students were still in here, but no sign of Kikumaru.

"May we help you?" a girl with pigtails asked, still seated at her desk.

"I was looking for Eiji Kikumaru-sempai," Arai explained.

"Oh… You must be Kikumaru's boyfriend!" The girl beamed.

"Eh? He told you?"

"Not really. Shuusuke Fuji was teasing him about you earlier."

Arai blushed. "I… I see. Well is he here?"

The pigtailed lass shook her head. "No, he usually eats lunch on the roof--"

"Thank you!" Arai said, turning on his heel and heading for the stairs.

He ran up the stairs taking them two at a time and finally flung open the door with a lot of force. There he saw his boyfriend sitting on the ground with his best friend Fuji.

"Hello Sempai! I went to your class looking for you," Arai said, walking closer to the pair.

"Eh?" Eiji asked. "I always come up here."

"I didn't know."

Fuji stood up.

"Where are you going, Shuusuke?" Eiji inquired.

"Yea, Fuji-sempai," Arai echoed.

"No, I'm finished and I have to meet someone in the library. See ya, Eiji!" Fuji picked up his lunch box and walked off, with a happy smile.

Arai walked over to his boyfriend and sat down beside him.

"Kikumaru-sempai…"

"You're practically the only one who doesn't call me Eiji. You should call me that," Eiji said.

Arai nodded, and then continued as he unwrapped his own bentou. "Eiji-sempai, today at practice you were playing a little off."

Eiji choked a little on his broccoli.

"Masashi-kun, why would you say that?"

"Well…," Arai said. He opened his lunch box to reveal a very plain lunch of leftovers. Eiji pushed his box closer to Arai.

"We can share," Eiji said.

"Thank you," Arai said. He used his chopsticks to take a piece of Eiji's picked vegetable. "Was there a reason you were playing badly?"

"No. There's no reason," answered Eiji.

There was silence as Arai began chewing over his food. Eiji was nibbling on a carrot.

"I hadn't realized I was playing so badly that you would of noticed," he said.

"Inui pointed it out."

"Leave it to Inui… did he say any reason why?"

Arai took some more of Eiji's pickled veggies and chewed it over with some rice. After swallowing he said, "He said you were distracted by me. I really hope that I'm not aversely affecting your game."

Eiji shook his head. "I think I'll be ok. I'm just a bit excited because of last night, that's all!"

Arai smiled and set his bentou down beside Eiji's. He settled in closer and draped an arm over Eiji's shoulder.

"Ok, I believe you as long as you promise me not to slack off at afternoon practice!"

Eiji looked over at his boyfriend and noticed a little piece of rice on his lip. He reached up and brushed it off. Arai's smile widened and Eiji leaned in for a kiss.

"I promise…"

To be continued…

AN: thanks for reading. please review. more Atobe next chapter!


	9. Chapter 9

AN: For chapter 8 I received a review from someone saying that every time I write about Eiji and Arai it makes their stomach sick. And that Eiji and Atobe makes their stomach sick too! LOL! It brought a smile to my face. I was like "missions complete"! And it made me want to update faster! Chances are they probably will stop reading my story (as I'm pretty sure they aren't a masochist), but I am grateful for their review as it made me laugh. A pairing isn't crack if it doesn't make ya go "WTF" right? I want to go on and become the crack fiction master! And besides… crack isn't the only thing I like. It's just what I write.

Chapter 9

It was afternoon practice for Seigaku High School tennis team. Arai had ball duty that afternoon with Satou. He sighed heavily as he followed his friend out to the shed.

"Geez, Arai," Satou murmured. "It's not that horrific to spend time with me is it?"

"No. It's not that," Arai answered, waiting for his friend to unlock the door with the key Coach lent him.

Satou jiggled the key around and finally got it open. The ball room was very disorganized and Arai wondered if they could possible collect the needed ware before the others finished dressing. Satou stepped in and picked a few stray baseballs out of the tennis ball box, before picking up the box and handing it to Arai. Arai grabbed the box and set it outside the shed. There were 4 crates of balls they were supposed to bring out. Arai stacked another crate on top of the one he already set out. As he turned to go back to the shed his attention was taken as he noticed something peculiar near the courts. A black limo had just pulled up.

"Arai! Come in here!" Satou called.

"Coming," Arai said, before turning to enter the shed.

Atobe smiled to himself as his limo pulled up to the Seigaku High's tennis courts. He saw that already the boys were trickling out of their locker room. He watched as the object of his affection exited, smiling and giddy, walking in between his friends Shuichiro Oishi and Shuusuke Fuji. As soon as the tea spotted the limo though, a hush fell over the crowd. This would be easy. Easy indeed.

Atobe's door opened and his chauffer let him out. Atobe dramatically made his appearance, removing his sunshades (although he was coming from inside to outside… so that's a bit weird) and flipping his hair.

"Keigo Atobe…" Tezuka said in an exasperated tone.

"That's right," Atobe said, coming closer to the team.

Captan Ichitaka stepped forward, "I'm sorry this is a closed practice."

Atobe continued walked past him until he stopped right in front of Eiji, and rested a hand on his hip.

"Kikumaru."

"Nya, Hi Atobe-sama!" Eiji greeted. "I'm in the middle of practice so—"

"Kikumaru, come with ore-sama."

"Aa, well—" Eiji widened his eyes. What was he supposed to say?

"He's in the middle of practice," a stern voice cut in from the back of the crowd called out. The team parted to show Arai and Satou. Arai was wearing a strange expression, and he dropped the crates of balls he was carrying and proceeded to walk up to where Atobe and Eiji were standing.

Atobe knew he saw that face before… last night. That's right. That was the waiter from last night.

"Oh, you're that waiter," Atobe said with a smirk. "I see they work you like a dog here too. Ball duty, huh?"

"Why you--! What are you here for?" Arai asked.

"I'm here to see Kikumaru. He was my date last night after all."

"Yea? Some date you must have been! Kikumaru-sempai's my boyfriend now!"

A gasp and mutterings were heard among the crowd.

"Masashi-kun, just calm down," Eiji said, gesturing with his hands. "And Atobe-sama, shouldn't you be at you own practice?"

"Ore-sama couldn't stop thinking about our connection—"

"Connection?" Eiji's eye twitched.

"Come on, Keigo," Tezuka said, walking up and grabbing his friend's arm. "You're disturbing practice." He began dragging him away.

"Hey! Ore-sama demands to be let go!"

Tezuka ignored Atobe and continued dragging him.

"Eiji! I'll call you!" Atobe yelled as Tezuka stuffed him into his limo.

Eiji waved good-bye slightly and chuckled to himself as he watched scene, but then he heard an angry huff beside him. Eiji looked to see his boyfriend with his arms crossed.

"I really can't stand that guy," Arai said, clenching his fist.

"Ok enough standing around!" Ichitaka-buchou called! "It's time to practice!"

Tezuka walked back towards the group and stopped beside Eiji.

"I'm sorry," the vice captain mouthed, before walking away.

Practice soon ended and Eiji invited Arai over. Arai met some of Eiji's siblings before they went upstairs with a snack. They had barley tea and pretz only, which was ok with the two boys. Arai really liked Eiji's room and was probing around looking at every single thing. Eiji said nothing as he sat himself on his bed and began to undo his uniform jacket. Arai sat at the desk and looked over some of the homework scattered on the desk. There was a tennis magazine that Arai picked up and rifled through. He had already read the magazine himself though and put it aside just as quickly as he picked it up. When he turned his attention back to Eiji, he was sitting on the bed in navy blue sweat pants and a grey t-shirt. He had a cute pout on his face as he stared across the room at his boyfriend. Arai's mouth twitched up into a smile, and he made his way to join him on the bed.

Eiji blushed as Arai took his hand and squeezed it against his chest. Eiji could feel as Arai's heart quicken, and read the soft lust in his eyes. Eiji close his eyes and leaned in, throwing his other arms around Arai's neck and pulling him down on top of him. Their lips crushed together in a kiss and Eiji felt like he was in heaven. Arai's left hand held on to Eiji's tightly, as his other hand made its way under the grey cotton tee Eiji had threw on. Eiji shivered as the younger lad's fingertips threatened to tickle his ribs. Eiji gasped as Arai's mouth journeyed down to his neck and then up to tickle at his ear lobe.

"Sorry," Arai murmured in apology.

"No, it's ok," Eiji replied, lacing his free hand though his boyfriend's shaggy brown hair.

They spent a few minutes that way, cuddled up on Eiji's bed. They spoke little, and kissed some. But they mostly just enjoyed each other's company… and then soon Arai drifted into a light sleep. Eiji looked at his clock. Shouldn't Arai be leaving soon? And dinner too? Shouldn't dinner be soon? Eiji lost track of the time and yawned lazily as he watched Arai doze beside him. Drool was collecting in the corner of his lip and Eiji couldn't help but laugh softly.

Just then his cellphone rang, startling Eiji into jumping, and also startling Arai awake.

"Huh? What is it?" Arai asked sleepily as he watched Eiji leap out of bed.

"It's my phone!" Eiji explained, looking for his phone in his school uniform pants pocket. Eiji pulled it out and looked at the display screen. His face scrunched up in confusion. It was a familiar looking number that wasn't programed to his phone.

"Who is it?" Arai asked, scratching his head?

Eiji didn't answer his boyfriend and instead preoccupied himself with the phone.

"Hello?"

"Aa, Kikumaru-kun," a deep voice drawled. "Were you waiting for my call?"

"A,atobe-sama!" Eiji gasped, although he really shouldn't have sounded so shocked. Atobe had said he'd call. Eiji looked over at Arai who was now glaring at him… or maybe at the phone… or more like Atobe through the phone.

"I'm going now!" Arai announced, standing up.

"Masashi-kun, nya! Are you sure?" Eiji asked, bring the phone down from his ear.

"Yes. I have homework and my mom must be worried," Arai said pulling on his uniform jacket. "I'll see you tomorrow Eiji-sempai." Arai walked over and kissed Eiji on the cheek and headed for the door.

"Oh I'll walk you out!" Eiji exclaimed. Picking up the phone he said, "Atobe-sama, I'll call you later! Bye!"

He hung up and then walked Arai to the door.

"Aw, Arai-kun is leaving already?" one of Eiji's sisters asked.

"Yes," Eiji said. He showed Arai to the entrance and watched as Arai put on his shoes. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Yes, sempai," Arai said standing.

"And… I hope you have a good night," Eiji beamed up at him.

"Yes, sempai," Arai nodded, lifting a hand to cup Eiji's cheek. He leaned in and gave Eiji a soft kiss. Eiji's eyes fluttered close as he indulged. "Don't call him."

Eiji's eyes opened.

"Good bye," Arai bowed and exited the Kikumaru home.

Eiji watched as his boyfriend walked down the walkway and disappeared down the street. He then turned and went to return upstairs.

"Eiji, dinner will be ready soon. Help set the table," one of his sisters said.

Eiji did as told. After he finished eating dinner and cleaning he returned upstairs to do his homework. He was sitting down and looking at a simple equation and tapping his pen against his desk when he spotted his cell phone still on his bed. The little toothpaste tube phone charm was lighting up as if he missed a call. He walked over, sat on his bed, and then looked at it. He got a text message from a classmate needing the homework pages. He text messaged it to them and then noticed Atobe's number as the last call. He had promised he would call… but then Arai told him not to. Eiji thought this over momentarily. He felt a compulsion to call Atobe. He really did. But there was a nagging guilt at his chest. There were two pulls. He could either keep his word to Arai or keep his word to Atobe. Eiji sighed and threw his phone to the side and then returned to his seat. He tried to focus on his homework again, but it was no use. There was something distracting him. He got up, paced to room and then looked over to his bed, where his phone was shining. Eiji sighed and picked it up again, hitting redial.

"Hello," the familiar deep voice of Atobe answered.

Eiji hesitated but then replied with, "Hello, Atobe-sama. This is Kikumaru."

"Aa." Eiji heard Atobe reply in a self satisfied manner. Eiji could just imagine the arrogant lad's grin. "I knew you'd call."

To be continued…

AN: Thanks for reading! WOOHOO! I write so slow. I plan for certain things to happen in one chapter and it takes me 2 to 3 chapters to write out the entire idea! I feel so bad about it. Anyway read and if you have anything to say REVIEW! I love reading your awesome words of encouragement! You know who you are ;D


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

It was weird. Eiji knew what he was doing was wrong. He had been dating Arai for a month now and secretly talking to Atobe on the phone for that same amount of time. It was weird. He knew he was being unfaithful, even if Atobe and him weren't directly dating (at least not in any traditional sense of the word), but there was something between them that the red headed boy couldn't quite name… more out of fear than anything else.

"So, do you think you can meet Ore-sama tomorrow?"

Eiji tensed up as he heard Atobe's questions. His grip tightened around the phone.

"Nya, Keigo," they had taken to calling each other by their first names. "You know I can't."

"You never want to meet with Ore-sama."

"You know why!" Eiji fussed. He was sitting against the wall on his bed, and hugging his pillow close in the dark. Keigo's voice was always he last voice he heard before he slept. But that's all they could have was this telephone relationship. As much as the rich boy tried, he could never get Eiji to meet him in person.

"Ore-sama doesn't understand. We're friends right?"

"Y,yes."

"Then why can't we meet up and talk over coffee like normal friends! You do it all the time with Fuji."

"Shuusuke's different!" Eiji exclaimed.

"How so?"

"Well… he's my best friend and well… I don't—"

"Feel the way for him as you feel for Ore-sama?"

Eiji let out a sigh. "Good night, Keigo."

"Wait, no—"

Eiji hung up and let his head fall back against the wall. This wasn't right. He was lying to himself if he said he wasn't cheating on Arai. Sure Arai had him in real life… but he still though of Keigo Atobe too, even when they weren't on the phone. Not to mention, Eiji knew Atobe had wrong intentions too. Arai and Hiyoshi had no idea what was going on behind their back.

Eiji's phone started to ring again and Eiji looked down at the display. It was Atobe. He wouldn't answer that. Not anymore. Not tonight. Eiji fell over onto his side and cuddled against his pillow and yawned. Tomorrow he wouldn't see Atobe. No, he would be a good boyfriend and call Arai and surprise him with a lunch date. Yes, that's what he'd do.

Eiji had a dreamless sleep before morning came.

"Eiji-kun—"

No scratch that… it wasn't dreamless. Why else would Eiji be hearing Atobe's voice in his ear?

"Eiji-kun… Wake up."

Eiji's eyes fluttered open to see his one of his older sisters and Atobe standing over his bed. Eiji's face scrunched up in confusion.

"Nee-san…" he grunted. "Why is Keigo in my dream?"

A look of concern washed over Atobe and Eiji's sister's features, before the both of them started laughing. Eiji continued to stare up at them confused before he registered he wasn't sleeping… but that Atobe was really in his room!

Eiji shut up suddenly, kicking the sheets off of his body.

"K,Keigo!" He gasped, blushing at being caught so vulnerable. "What are you doing here?"

"Picking you up for our lunch date, what else? Don't tell me you forgot!"

Eiji's eyes widened. "Lunch date? I never agreed to a lunch date, nya!" Eiji grabbed at the clock on his night stand and looked at the time.

His sister just giggled and walked out the room, and Atobe went to sit at Eiji's desk.

"Ore-sama likes your room," Atobe complemented, looking around.

Eiji shot Atobe an angry look from where he sat on the bed. "I didn't ask you to come here!" He said mid-yawn.

Atobe shrugged. "But since I'm here… you might as well come with me, right?"

Eiji sighed. "Ok, let me get ready. Can you wait for me downstairs?"

Eiji got ready. Here was a free day he could be spending with his darling Masashi-kun, and he just had to waste it on Keigo. Eiji felt a blush rise to his cheeks. Spending a day with Keigo… the butterflies in his stomach began to act up. Eiji couldn't believe how silly he could be.

He came down to meet Atobe.

"Nya, Keigo. Ready to go?" Eiji asked.

Atobe stood and inspected his date. "You're really cute, Eiji-kun."

Eiji blushed and said, "Y,you too!" He then turned and headed for the door, yelling good bye as he left.

He and Atobe had a good lunch. Atobe of course paid and Eiji couldn't help but fall for Atobe even more talking to him face to face. He forgot all about his subtle mannerism, like the way he waved his hand or flipped his hair, that just made the little acrobat's stomach flutter. Atobe was just as enamored of Eiji and suggested they finish the afternoon off with a movie.

"I'd rather not," Eiji admitted. "I'm not in the movie watching mood."

He felt utterly guilty. Here he was having the time of his life, cheating on his boyfriend, when he had originally planned to go out with Arai in the first place. Eiji sighed and then felt Atobe swing an arm across his shoulders.

"At least try to humor Ore-sama and look like you're having a good time."

"I… I am," Eiji said with a sigh.

"Oh, so that's what this is all about. You're feeling guilty aren't you?"

Eiji nodded.

"Then dump that poor kid and be with Ore-sama. I'm obviously the better choice!"

"What!" Eiji replied, getting defensive. "No way! I care for Arai! Besides, what about Hiyoshi?"

"What about him? Isn't Ore-sama good enough for two boyfriends?"

"Then… have you told him about you and me?"

Atobe blushed lightly… "Well… no… not really. But there isn't officially an 'us' yet to talk about, is there?"

Eiji considered this. He knew Atobe was a rich and a little spoiled, but he hadn't really considered what it was what Atobe wanted from him. Apparently Atobe wanted two boyfriends and he wanted Eiji to be one of them. Sharing Atobe? With Hiyoshi?

"So if you were to be with me… you would stay with Hiyoshi too?"

"Of course. I like you both the same," Atobe replied.

Eiji felt a slight pang in his heart. How could Atobe be so casual about this. He liked them both equal? He wouldn't be able to choose. Eiji then thought of his situation with Arai. Would he even be able to choose? Arai was a bit of a hot head and Atobe was an egomaniac. Both had their bad points, for sure.

Eiji and Atobe had wandered into a park and were walking along a slightly deserted path. There was a strong breeze and Atobe shielded Eiji by pulling him closer. Eiji took in the smell and wrapped his arms around Atobe's waist.

"Keigo," He whimpered as they both stopped walking.

"What is it?" Atobe asked, pulling Eiji's face up by his chin.

"I don't think I can choose either."

Atobe smirked, "Ore-sama doesn't like the idea of sharing you."

Eiji in turn pouted, "How do you think I feel?"

Atobe led Eiji to a bench and they sat down.

"So how are you going to break it to that idiot boyfriend of yours?" Atobe asked.

Eiji's eye twitched, "Well… he's a bit excitable and gets angry easily. He already doesn't like you so… I really don't know!"

"The hard part is getting them to agree to us dating and dating them at the same time," Atobe said with a shrug.

"You're right. He's gonna dump me," Eiji put his head in his hands.

"Good, then Ore-sama is the winner! Ore-sama thinks we should seal the deal."

"Huh?"

Atobe leaned in and kissed Eiji. Eiji gave in a little to the kiss, their first kiss. But then he broke away.

"Oh! Be serious, Nya!" Eiji scolded a blush rising in his cheeks. Atobe laughed to himself. Eiji returned to his ravings. "We should keep this a secret!"

"But that's cheating," Atobe noted.

"But—"

"This shouldn't be a problem. We just have two boyfriends. No reason why they won't understand that."

"You're absurd!" Eiji gaped at his… other boyfriend?

"It's not like we're the first people to do it," Atobe stated with a wave of his hand.

Eiji looked at Atobe with an incredulous look on his face. "No way! Who the heck has that kind of relationship?"

Atobe shrugged and they both sat in silence for a little thinking. The breeze blew again, rustling the trees. Atobe crossed his arms across his chest and Eiji picked at his bandage. Then suddenly a wave of realization washed over the both of them simultaneously!

"Nya I know!" Eiji said turning to Atobe who too turned in his direction.

"Mizuki!"

To be continued…

AN: Asking Hajime Mizuki for relationship help? That sounds like trouble! Eiji said that Atobe was a bit Absurd… but honestly I think this FIC IS ABSURD. Please read and review!


	11. Chapter 11

AN: HI THERE! another update. I been playing Trickster Online more (again, i'm a raccoon named Svendlonn). That's the drug that drastically slowed down the release of "Gilded". Hopefully I'll still keep updatng this at a good pace. So much to do so little time! I feel like I can't even keep up with the fics I been reading!!!.

Chapter 11

Arai rolled off of Eiji, tired and spent, but extremely satisfied. He let out a contented sigh and turned to look at his boyfriend. Eiji in turn, rolled onto his side and smiled back at him. Arai went in for a quick kiss and Eiji obliged him.

"Don't you have to go to work soon?" Eiji asked, as Arai laced his fingers through his.

"Yeah, are you gonna be here when I get off?" Arai asked.

Eiji shook his head. "No, I have other plans."

Arai looked a bit disappointed and crawled over the bed (and Eiji) and grabbed a towel from the back of a chair. "I'm gonna go shower. You can use it after me."

He looked at Eiji and Eiji only nodded to show he understood.

"And you can stay over tonight after you finish your thing. Just call my cell phone if you decide to stay, ok?" Arai asked, wrapping the towel around his waist.

Eiji nodded again to show he understood and Arai walked out of the room to go to the bath. Once alone, Eiji turned onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. What was he doing with his life? Two boyfriends… One he just finished sleeping with and another he had to meet in… Eiji turned his head to look at Arai's clock… 30 minutes. Wait… 30 minutes! Eiji's eyes grew wide as he suddenly sat upright and lept out of bed. He frantically searched Arai's room for his scattered clothing. He found his boxers and shirt fairly easily. The pants somehow fell behind the television and the socks were just so much of a pain that Eiji decided to just borrow a pair of Arai's. He opened a drawer to look for socks. Opening the first drawer he found porno mags and dvds. Eiji rolled his eyes. How typical of Arai. He opened the second drawer and snatched out a pair of white socks and then walked into the bathroom.

Arai turned to look at him.

"I'm late. I just need to freshen up just a little, nya," Eiji said in an apologetic tone.

Arai stepped aside and let Eiji use the shower head to wash off.

"Where are you going?" Arai asked.

"Study group with some kids in my class," Eiji replied, not getting into any significant detail. He'd let Arai's brain fill in the rest.

"Oh, good luck then."

"Thank you," Eiji handed him the shower head. "And I borrowed your socks." Eiji stole Arai's towel and walked out the bathroom, patting himself dry.

Eiji got dressed and then looked at the clock again as he tied his shoes. Damn, 20 minutes. Eiji noisely exited the apartment, "Bye, Masashi-kun!" He didn't wait to hear Arai's reply and bounded down the stairs of the apartment complex. He broke into a run as he hit the street. Atobe was not one to wait around for anyone.

Atobe looked at his watch as he waiting for Eiji at the usual café.

"Keigo, I'm so sorry I'm late," Eiji said, sliding into his seat. He looked tired and was out of breath.

"Did you run all the way here?" Atobe asked, with an arched brow.

"Some of the way… not quite the entire way," Eiji replied. He layed his head on the table but Atobe made him pick his head back up.

"Stop doing that! It's your own fault you're late," Atobe said.

Eiji nodded. "I'm sorry."

He hadn't meant to be late. He only planned one date that day. Since Arai had to work it seemed perfect that he and Atobe would share the day together. However, Eiji had accidentally spent the night at Arai's place, and incidentally the morning too. It was hard work balancing and maintaining two stable relationships. He and Atobe had been juggling the task for about two weeks now. Eiji and Atobe never neglected their first lovers, Arai and Hiyoshi respectfully. But they also had an obligation towards each other. Despite their initial plan to tell their significant others about the fling, neither had the courage to do so in the end.

Eiji thanked the waitress as she set a cup of coffee down in front of him. He began to stir it and pretended to listen to what Atobe was saying. It wasn't that Atobe wasn't interesting, but Eiji's mind was elsewhere at the moment… like on Arai, and his relationship with Arai. He and Arai had gotten so much closer over the month and a half. Not to mention they already took the big step of sleeping with each other. But then Eiji had to take into account the boy sitting across from him. He had been dating Atobe for two weeks now. It took him and Arai basically a month to reach that step, whereas Atobe was already pressuring him to do it since day one. Of course, Eiji said no every time. But if he were to continue this relationship, then Eiji would have to at sometime say yes. Now, what bothered him was the fact that that would mean Eiji would be sleeping with two guys and in turn he'd be a slut… or something… right?

"Eiji! Are you even listening?" Atobe cut through Eiji's thoughts.

"What? Sorry Keigo, I dazed off."

Atobe rolled his eyes, "Judging from that blush it was something nice? Hopefully, it involved ore-sama and you."

"Something like that, nya," Eiji replied.

A smug smile tugged at Atobe's lips and Eiji had to look away, so he looked down at his cup of coffee.

"So what were you talking about?" Eiji asked, not taking his eyes off his beverage.

"Hajime Mizuki," Atobe replied.

"No," Eiji said, lifting his cup to his lips.

"What? You haven't even heard ore-sama out!" Atobe complained.

"I don't need to," Eiji said. "I already know what you're going to say."

"What? It was your idea in the first place."

"Nya! No it wasn't. It was your idea to come out to Hiyoshi and Masashi-kun. I only said Mizuki's name because he's the only person we know with two boyfriends—"

"Thus making him the likely source of good advice!" Atobe said.

Eiji set his cup down with a sigh. "Keigo… I do not want to risk losing what I have over this."

"So you care about that poor loser more than you care about me? You want to keep me in the shadows forever!?" Atobe covered his eyes dramatically. "Are you so ashamed of ore-sama!?"

Eiji rolled his eyes. "Fine!" He said.

"Good, because we'll be going to see him shortly," Keigo Atobe said triumphantly.

Eiji's eyes widened and just then their food arrived. Atobe smiled happily at the food on his plate and began to eat. Eiji stared down at his dish in front of him, a sickness growing in his stomach. He had suddenly lost his appetite.

To be continued…

AN: Thanks for reading. A lot of the time, I compare this fic to "gilded" in my mind. I personally love "gilded" to peices, but this fic is decidedly better written. Anyway, the sequal to gilded has been prancing around in my mind (again). I think I might have to begin writing it. If that happens I'll have to pace updates between two fics... so I haven't decided. Anyway, I'm still considering to write an "M" chapter to this fic. ...We'll see what happens. And... thanks for reading! Thanks for the reviewsssss :3


	12. Chapter 12

AN: St Vincento is the Catholic Boy's High since I didn't know if St Rudolph was an elevator school. If you want you can skip the limo scene as it's… lewd. Oh gawd I'm so embarrassed. You can read until you're squeamish. Then you can just skip to the line.

Chapter 12

Eiji found himself in Atobe's limo headed for St Vincento Academy despite his strong inclination to just get up and run back to the safety of Arai's apartment. Atobe must have sensed his reluctance and slid closer to Eiji and snaked his arm around his waist.

"Eiji," Atobe whispered into his ear.

Eiji turned his head and met Atobe's stare, and Atobe took the opportunity to move in for a kiss. Atobe moved his smooth hands under Eiji's shirt in order to rest one against the small of the acrobat's back and guide the other one to his nipples. Eiji let out a whimper as Atobe squeezed and rolled the nipple between his finger tips. Eiji really loved that, and Atobe knew it. He pushed Eiji back against the leather seat and pulled this shirt up more, gaining further access to the acrobat's chest. Atobe's head ventured down, nipping at the skin on Eiji's collar bone and then licking circles over the little purple marks Arai had left behind.

"So he did this, huh?" Atobe asked.

Eiji turned his face away from Atobe and refused to answer. Atobe only smiled. Something about taking Eiji once he was already so used was making him more aroused than usual. He wondered how Arai did it. Did he suck at Eiji's chest hungrily or did he indulge on the creamy flesh, and softly nip on it as Atobe preferred to do. Atobe's tongue lapped over Eiji's sensitive nipple, causing the smaller boy to arch his back and lace his fingers through Atobe's hair. Atobe smiled as he passed his tongue over the nipple again and then softly sucked at it. Eiji in response wrapped his leg around Atobe's waist and attempted to pull him closer.

"You're so responsive today," Atobe said, unbuttoning Eiji's jeans and reaching in to stroke Eiji's growing erection. "Ore-sama bets your poor boyfriend didn't do it right today? You want Ore-sama to make it better?"

"Nya, Keigo. S,stop—"

Eiji couldn't say anymore as Atobe's fingers began stroking him where he was still stretched and sensitive from the previous night and even that morning's activities with Arai. Eiji opened his legs wider involuntarily and Atobe saw fit to tease him.

"Wow you're so lewd today."

"Shut up, nya," Eiji said as he pulled Atobe's head up for a kiss, but Atobe pulled out of his grasp, opting to occupy his mouth with something further down.

* * *

When they reached St Vincento, they stepped out the limo, Atobe first, and Eiji coming out from behind completely flushed red. He couldn't believe Atobe had just given him a wild and crazy blow job in the limo and he could still just walk out as if nothing happened. Eiji felt like everyone could see right through him as he made his way toward the dormitory behind his other boyfriend. Sure the students of St Rudolph were whispering to each other, but not about Eiji. Just more over the fact someone showed up in a limo.

They checked in with the Sister at the dormitory, signing in and stating their purpose, and were directed to a dorm room on the 2nd floor.

All seemed to be going smoothly. Students watched as Eiji and Atobe made their way down the hall checking each room number and trying to match it to the one on the paper that should be Mizuki's. When they reached Mizuki's dorm room, Atobe made a motion to knock when a boy next door spoke up.

"I don't know where you two are from," The boy began. "Mizuki doesn't like for people to disturb him in his room."

Atobe turned to the boy with a look of incredulity upon his face. 'Don't you know who I am?' his face seemed to ask.

The other boy just retreated into his room and just as Atobe was about to knock again, someone behind him grabbed his hand. Atobe and Eiji both turned, surprised by the person who suddenly joined them. It was Yuuta Fuji! Atobe snatched his hand away quickly.

"Yuuta!" Eiji gasped, glomping the younger Fuji brother.

"What are you doing here?" Yuuta asked. He was holding a bottle of mineral water and pack of AAA batteries.

"We came to see Mizuki. He said he'd be free today," Eiji beamed, letting go of his best friend's brother.

"Oh. I guess," Yuuta shrugged. "If Mizuki's expecting you then just walk in."

Eiji nodded, and stepped to the side as Yuuta stepped towards the door.

"I'm coming in! I hope you're decent!" He said as he cracked the door open. He heard nothing to indicate otherwise and opened it all the way stepping in and indicating for the others to follow him.

What they came across wasn't too bad. The dorm room was pretty tidy. Atsushi Kisarazu was sitting on the edge of Mizuki's bed, fiddling with a small digital camera/recorder, dressed in boxers only. He looked up as the guest entered.

"Mizuki's in the bathroom," was all he said as Yuuta gave him the batteries.

As if on cue, Mizuki stepped out of the suite bathroom.

"About time you came with that water," Mizuki complained. "I'm so thirsty."

He joined Atsushi on the bed and Yuuta poured him a drink in a cup and handed it to him. Mizuki drank some.

"Hi Mizuki!" Eiji greeted tentatively, though he managed to have some of his usual spunk in his words.

Mizuki lowered the cup from his lips. "Where's Yoshirou?" he asked of neither Atobe or Eiji. He seemed completely unaware of his two guest standing idly at the entrance of the room.

Atsushi shrugged and Yuuta answered, "Akazawa buchou went for a walk."

"Are you done yet? Ore-sama is running out of patience?" Atobe huffed.

"He just had a nap," Yuuta said as if that answered for Mizuki's rudeness.

"Ore-sama doesn't care if he finished wrestling two deer in a park," Atobe replied.

Yuuta almost made a reply but Mizuki stopped him.

Mizuki looked at Atobe and then at Eiji standing a little behind him.

"So Atobe, this is who you're cheating on the little mushroom with, huh?"

Yuuta pushed past Atobe and Eiji and exited the room and Atsushi simply continued to fiddle with his camera.

"Yeah," Eiji replied. "Well, Keigo has the idea of—"

"Wait," Mizuki said curling a lock of hair around his finger.

"What?" Eiji asked.

"I'm hungry!" was Mizuki's reply. "Atsushi get me some fruit!"

"Yes, Hajime."

Eiji and Atobe's mouth fell open. They came all the way over here to St Vincento to get advice from this guy who seemed to be more like running a harem than anything else. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all…

To be continued…

AN: rushed sorry! Actually Mizuki's boyfriends are Akazawa and Atsushi. I guess Yuuta's just roped into being there cos he's so good at carrying out Mizuki's orders. I dunno. There's a reason. I just too tired to type anymore… LOL review plz


	13. Chapter 13

AN: Sorry for the late update!!!

Chapter 13

Atsushi Kisarazu slipped on a shirt and some loose basketball shorts, kissed his boyfriend on the cheek, and scurried out of the room on his quest to find fruit! Yes, fruit, because that's what Mizuki asked for. And by leaving, he left Hajime Mizuki alone with Keigo Atobe and Eiji Kikumaru. The three were having a dance party!!! Ok, they weren't having that, but for some reason the thought crossed the red bandanna wearing teen's mind as he made his way towards the dormitory elevator. Well, whatever it was, it probably wasn't any of his business…

Mizuki leaned back so his back was against the wall and crossed his arms.

"So, now let me guess," Mizuki said, lifting a hand to his head and coiling a lock of hair between his long fingers. "From what you told me over the phone, you two are secretly dating and want to establish an open relationship with Hiyoshi-san?"

Atobe walked over to an empty chair and plopped himself gracefully into it. Eiji walked over too and stood at his side.

"Well, it's more complicated than that," Atobe replied.

Hm? So Hiyoshi and Kikumaru aren't well acquainted?" Mizuki asked.

"Not really, but that's not what Ore-sama was getting at. Eiji has a boyfriend too."

Mizuki just sat there, staring at the two boys on the other side of his dorm room. They came all the way for him seeking advice and really, it was a shame that he'd have to break it to them this way.

"What you're asking is impossible," replied bluntly.

"What? What do you mean?" Eiji asked.

Mizuki looked annoyed, "Well, I mean exactly what I said. It's impossible. You're asking for too much."

"Too much? But you have two boyfriends? What makes you so different?" Eiji asked.

"Well, it's true. I have two boyfriends. Atsushi and Yoshirou. And they also have two boyfriends."

Atobe and Eiji looked at each other skeptically and Mizuki continued.

"I see your simple minds cannot quite comprehend the concept I just explained. Contrary to popular belief Atsushi and Yoshirou are not just my boyfriends. I am Atsushi's boyfriend and so is Yoshirou. Just as Atsushi and myself are Yoshirou's boyfriends. It's a triangle of mutual affection. We all are dating each other."

"What does that have to do with me and Keigo?" Eiji asked.

"You still don't get it? The only way for you to do this right is if you all had three boyfriends!"

Eiji gasped and Atobe yawned as if he were bored.

Eiji and Mizuki ignored Atobe's bored look and continued talking.

"Nya, Mizuki-san," Eiji began with a slight blush creeping across his cheeks. "Does that mean I have to date Hiyoshi too and Keigo will have to date Masashi-kun?"

"Ore-sama is not kissing that stupid boyfriend of yours!" Atobe objected. He had no intention of getting along with Arai, ever.

"Well to be perfectly in sync as Mizuki said," Eiji began, turning to his boyfriend. "We have to all have three boyfriends. So that would make Me-You, You-Hiyoshi, Hiyoshi-me—"

"Ore-sama will NOT let you touch MY Wakashi-kun!" Atobe interjected.

"Hmph, well obviously you're wasting your time with him, Kikumaru-san," Mizuki cut in. "He doesn't want to share anything. He just wants it all to himself." His voice was smooth and taunting and Atobe took the bait.

"Are you implying that Ore-sama is selfish!? Ore-sama is not selfish!"

"Then what do you call it?" Mizuki asked.

Atobe's eye twitched and he sat back in his seat, "Ok, so what do we do?"

"Well you should probably start as a double date and see if the four of you have chemistry. You can see how Hiyoshi and Eiji's boyfriend interact and see if Eiji is at all compatible with Hiyoshi and so on."

"Aa, I see. That makes sense, nya! Don't you think, Keigo?" Eiji asked turning towards Atobe.

Atobe for once said nothing.

The door opened and everyone looked, expecting to see Atsushi but instead was greeted with Akazawa's frowning face.

"Oh, you have company?" he asked.

"Nya! Don't mind us," Eiji smiled.

Akazawa gave him a slight glare before walking over to Mizuki and kissing his forehead.

"Yoshirou-kun, these two came here for relationship advice," Mizuki said.

"Hm?" Akazawa said looking over at Atobe and Eiji. "Relationship advice? From Hajime? Did you two bump your heads?"

"I'll have you know, I gave them excellent advice," Mizuki stated.

"Yeah," Eiji said. "Besides, ya'll have a really good relationship right? So he must be doing something right!"

Akazawa blushed and walked into the bathroom muttering, "Whatever" as he shut the door.

* * *

Once back in Atobe's limo, the two contemplated their options.

"Ok, so are we going to invite Hiyoshi and Masashi-kun on double dates?" Eiji asked.

Atobe answered with, "Ore-sama changed his mind."

"Nya! You can't do that!" Eiji said, coming closer to Atobe and wrapping an arm around his waist.

"Why not. Ore-sama does as he pleases."

Eiji pouted, "After all the trouble you put me through and now you don't want to tell Hiyoshi?"

"No. There's no way Arai's laying a hand on my Wakashi-kun."

Eiji withdrew his arm from Atobe's waist and slid away from Atobe feeling a little jaded. He felt it slightly in Mizuki's dorm too. He had a sinking feeling whenever Atobe referred to Hiyoshi as "my Wakashi". There was a lot of passion behind the way he said it and Eiji felt more and more like a second boyfriend. He wasn't equal to Hiyoshi at all in Atobe's heart. He was just a fling after all. Eiji thought that Atobe probably realized it and that's why he didn't want to come forward with the relationship anymore. Eiji let out a sigh.

"What's wrong now? Ore-sama thought you didn't want to tell them anyway," Atobe said.

"I didn't…," Eiji said.

"Then why are you sulking?"

Atobe slid closer to Eiji and took one of the boy's hands in his. "Tell Ore-sama the problem."

Eiji turned his head away from Atobe and Atobe leaned in and kissed his neck. Eiji pushed Atobe's head away.

"I… I want to go to Arai's apartment now," Eiji said.

"What? Isn't he at work? Nobody will be there," Atobe said. "You're supposed to be spending the day with Ore-sama."

"…" Eiji just stared out of the window and Atobe watched Eiji closely. Eiji could feel Atobe's gaze at the side of his face but he wouldn't dare look. He couldn't look in those eyes right now. Not when he felt so torn. Hiyoshi meant a lot to Atobe. Arai met a lot to Eiji. But what was Atobe to him and what was he to Atobe? What was the correct balance in this situation? Were they destined to forever be just the other man? Eiji didn't want to say the words that were fighting to roll off of his tongue. He knew it wouldn't be fair. Atobe could just say the same about him. But Eiji said it anyway. He said exactly how he felt.

"I feel like… maybe you like Hiyoshi more than you like me."

Atobe didn't say anything to that. He could of, but he didn't. All Eiji recieved was a squeeze of his hand and then the light pressure of Atobe's head on his shoulder.

to be continued...


	14. Chapter 14

AN: Sorry for the delay. I've had a tough few weeks. Luckily, only two more weeks of school. Finals are next week. -dies-

Chapter 14

"Hoi Hoi! Ochibi!"

Eiji's voice was heard over all of the tennis courts, even over all of the noise from practice. Everyone turned to see the acrobat glomp attacking a boy, who was none other then Ryoma Echizen, Seigaku Junior High's tennis captain. There was a slight pause before everyone began again what they had been doing.

"What are you doing here?" Eiji asked.

"Practice let out early so I decided to watch you guys," Ryoma said, pulling out of his sempai's arms. He walked over to the court where Tezuka was hitting balls with some of the other regulars. Eiji followed.

"Nya! Ochibi," Eiji called again.

Ryoma stopped by the court and watched Tezuka practicing. "Shouldn't you be practicing too?" Echizen asked.

"Eh, but I wanted to talk to you, Nya!"

"Kikumaru! Back to the courts!" Ichitaka-buchou bellowed.

Eiji quickly ran back to do his practicing.

After practice Eiji went over to meet with Echizen again, being the first one out of the changing room.

"Hoi, Ochibi!" Eiji greeted. "Are you still waiting for Kunimitsu?"

"Maybe," Ryoma replied, holding a can of Ponta that appeared out of nowhere.

"Where are ya'll going?" Eiji asked.

"What makes you think we're going anywhere?" Ryoma asked.

Tezuka approached them. "Ryoma," he acknowledged.

Ryoma merely nodded and took a sip of his can of ponta.

"Nya, Tezuka!" Eiji chirped. "Are you two going anywhere?"

Before Tezuka could answer Inui popped in. "Could it be you have a date? Could it be Echizen called his practice off early so he could meet Tezuka for his date? They have been dating quite a while now. You wouldn't think Echizen would still have these fluttery feelings."

Judging by the small blush creeping up Echizen's face, Inui was right on the mark.

"Nya! A date! Hoi, Ochibi, where are you going?" Eiji pried, motivated by Inui's observations and Echizen's reply.

Echizen turned to walk away and Tezuka followed. Inui and Eiji watched as the pair walked away.

"Do you have any idea, Sadaharu?" Eiji inquired.

"Well," Inui said, rubbing his chin. "It seems as if they have a double date today."

"Eh! Double date!" Eiji gasped.

"Yes, If I'm not mistaken I heard him telling Oishi during lunch hour that he wouldn't be able to go over because of it," Inui replied. "This is good data."

Inui proceeded to scribble something in his book and Eiji sighed. A double date? Didn't Atobe want to double date with him and Arai? What if Echizen and Tezuka were going out with Atobe and Hiyoshi. Eiji's curiosity was rising. Suddenly, Eiji felt Arai's arm drape around his shoulders. Eiji knew it was Arai, because he had a particular way of doing it that was so unique to him. Eiji blushed and looked up at his younger boyfriend.

"Hey, Eiji," Arai greeted with a smile. "Want to get a bite to eat? My treat."

"Masashi-kun I…" his voice betrayed his wavering thoughts.

"You don't want to?" Arai frowned.

"It's not that he doesn't want to, Arai," Inui interrupted. "It's just that he's curious about Tezuka and Echizen's double date."

"Double date?" Arai asked. He looked in the direction where Echizen and Tezuka had walked off.

"Yeah," Eiji nodded.

"Hey Sempai," Arai started. He called Eiji by his first name most of the time but for some reason every once in a while he's revert back to calling him Sempai.

"Yes, Masashi-kun?"

"Why don't we ever double date?"

"Eh, you want to?" Eiji asked.

"I don't see why not…"

When Eiji returned home from Arai's house later that day, he wondered how Ochibi and Tezuka's double date went and wanted to know all about it. However, he didn't feel too confident in his relationship with either boy to confront them about it. So, Eiji called the one person he knew was their closest friend not on the Seigaku team: Keigo Atobe. Besides, Atobe was seriously the one person Eiji was looking forward to talking to anyway.

"Hello?"

"Keigo, it's me, nya!"

There was a slight yawn before Atobe answered, "Ore-sama is happy to hear from you."

"Are you tired?" Eiji asked.

"No, It's fine. Ore-sama is out, is all."

"Oh?"

"Yes, Ore-sama is on a double date today with Echizen and Kunimitsu."

"Aa, so you're the one they went out with today?" Eiji gasped. "I mean you're still out?"

"Yes, we're at the theatre. Echizen and Tezuka are getting our seats. Ore-sama's waiting for Wakashi-kun to come out of the bathroom."

"Oh! Then I guess I should go then," Eiji said, shoulders slumping.

"Hey, don't feel down, Eiji. Ore-sama will go out with you one day soon, ok?"

"Aa, yes, Keigo. If you're not busy with..." Eiji hesitated and continued, once he felt his voice wouldn't waver. "With Hiyoshi, can you call me back? I want to hear your voice."

"Don't you have Arai you can call?" Atobe asked.

Eiji sighed, "But I want to talk to YOU Keigo."

There was a pause and then suddenly Atobe said, "Ore-sama must go now."

There was a click and then Eiji tossed his phone away. He hated how he felt so dependent upon Atobe sometimes. Arai was his number one boyfriend. Atobe was number two. Just as Hiyoshi was Atobe's number one. There was nothing he could do about that. But even so, it still hurt so much to know that tonight it wouldn't be him in Keigo's arms.

Atobe looked down at his cell phone. The display screen went dark as Eiji's named disappeared from the LCD. He was feeling very crummy all of a sudden. Why did Eiji have to say something like that? It was making him angry. It was all Eiji's fault for having that damn boyfriend. But then again, Atobe also had his boyfriend. If Eiji left Arai would Atobe leave Hiyoshi? That was an absolute impossibility.

The door to the men's restroom opened and Hiyoshi stepped out.

"Sorry, Keigo. You didn't have to wait," Hiyoshi said.

"It's no problem," Atobe replied, taking the mushroom head's hand in his. He squeezed it tightly, savoring it. They walked towards the room their movie was playing in. He didn't even want to lose Hiyoshi. He'd never give him up for anything in the world. Not even for a really cute acrobat named Eiji Kikumaru. . Eiji was just a fling, a passng pleasure. That was all.

Atobe held upon the door for Wakashi and let the young boy guide him through the dark theatre to the spot Tezuka and Ryoma said they'd reserve. Tezuka and Echizen had left the aisle seat for the other two and Hiyoshi thanked them before taking his seat, allowing Atobe to take the end of the row. The movie had yet to start and Ryoma passed them a large bucket of popcorn.

"Thank you," Wakashi mumbled.

Atobe took his cellphone out of his pocket again and stared at the LCD. His background picture was of him and Wakashi at the school festival. He began typing his message.

"I don't think we should talk anymore…-Keigo"

Send. The button was right there. Click send. Click it. Atobe's thumb hesitated over the button, and then he felt Hiyoshi's arm brush against his on the arm rest.

_Send…. Sending….Sending…. Message has been successfully sent._

"Keigo, do you want any popcorn?" Wakashi asked.

Atobe turned to see Hiyoshi extending the bucket towards him.

"Yes, thank you." Atobe smiled.

To be continued…

AN: read and review. Also, I working on a fic with Rebeccasanfujieijilvr. EijixSakuno: Love Story. So before this is updated again I will write the next chapter to that. Please review ot whatnot. have fun.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

When Eiji received the text message from Atobe that night, he felt a violent churning in the pit of his stomach, followed by a heavy fit of denial. Atobe couldn't have meant that text, could he?

"I don't think we should talk anymore…-Keigo"

It was so abrupt. Was this Keigo's style? He was afraid to reply. Maybe Atobe would confirm his fears… wait… fears? Eiji was afraid of losing Atobe?

Eiji laid back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling and waiting for Atobe to send another message of "Ore-sama was only kidding."

After minutes that seemed like hours, Eiji replied to the original message with, "What?"

That was all he could think to say, but there was still no reply and the dread came creeping over Eiji once again.

It was already pat 10 when Atobe and the others exited the theatre. Atobe and Hiyoshi held hands as they made their way out of the building, and Ryoma and Tezuka were close behind.

"You don't want Ore-sama to drop ou off at home?" Atobe was asking, as Tezuka and Ryoma had earlier said they'd be taking the train.

"Sure, I guess we can take a ride from the king of monkeys," Ryoma replied.

Atobe guided the 3 to his limo was and the driver let them in.

"I'm staying at Kunimitsu's," Ryoma said, so Atobe's driver wouldn't drop him off at home. He has already dropped off his things there after school.

"How nice," Atobe mused. "Hear that, Wakashi-kun? He's staying at Kunimitsu's."

"I have homework, Keigo. I'm already late enough getting started as it is," Hiyoshi complained.

"Aw you know Ore-sama would help you. Ore-sama excels at every subject."

"Fine, I'll spend the night then," Hiyoshi said, giving in.

"Good," Atobe said, patting Hiyoshi's leg. "Ore-sama is glad."

They soon reached Tezuka's home and Ryoma and Tezuka stepped out. Ryoma went bounding towards the front door and Tezuka poked his head back into the limo.

"Keigo, may I speak with you?"

"Yes?" Atobe asked, not budging.

"Outside."

"Oh?" Atobe asked. He then followed Tezuka to the front gate of Tezuka's home. They were equal distance from the car and the front door, where Ryoma was standing with his arms folded.

"Well?" Atobe asked.

"What's going on between you and Eiji?"

"What do you mean? We're friends."

"No. You and Oshitari are just friends. You and Eiji on the other hand—"

"Ok, we sort of dated."

"Sort of?"

"Yes. Ore-sama was curious about the little acrobat. It's over now, he wouldn't even go all the way."

"Oh?"

"You're the one who set me up with him in the first place," Atobe accused.

Tezuka hesitatied then said, "You weren't with Hiyoshi then."

There was silence and then Atobe turned his back to Tezuka. He hated how his best friend seemed to always act as his voice of reason. Despite Tezuka's stony appearance, he was a very caring person and Atobe's number one friend in the world. Ever since 9th grade they been best friends and there were a lot of situations Atobe knew he'd probably never had survived if Tezuka wasn't there to pull him out of the mire. Oshitari was likely Atobe's 2nd best friend, but Yuushi was in no way as good for Atobe's sense of moral duty as Tezuka was.

However, at a time like this, Atobe hated that quality of Tezuka.

"Good night, Kunimitsu."

Atobe walked back to the limo without looking back at his best friend once. Once in the limo, Atobe sighed against the leather seat. This Eiji kid was getting to be more complicated than he thought. Atobe was used to having affairs on Hiyoshi. He and his boyfriend had been dating steadily about two years but he managed to sneak in side encounters with other boys without this much hassle. Takahisa Kajimoto (from josei shounen) and Hajime Mizuki were his partners many times, and having relationships of their own, were more than happy never to say a word. Atobe was never caught. But no… he had to get cocky and try something new. Something about Eiji made him want to try for more than just a fling. He wanted to try having another relationship…

Easier said than done.

Hiyoshi stared at his boyfriend from the other side of the car.

"Keigo…," he said. "I need to go pick up my homework."

Atobe was startled out of his thoughts and met Hiyoshi with a small smile.

"Of course…"

to be continued….

AN: thanks for reading. this chapter is about 400 words shorter than usual! DARN IT! I fail! and this chapter is fail as well. and alst chapter too. darn stupid exams. i'll update soon. this is actually half of what i planed to write but i decided to post before it became too long between chapters. cya. and Review pl0x


	16. Chapter 16

AN: i feel sorry for Arai. anyway, i dunno if this chapter is M or not.Sorry if it is. This chapter is kind of weird and choppy. sorry

Chapter 16

At first Eiji felt sick. Whenever he thought of Atobe his chest would clench up and his stomach would churn. He'd lay his head on the desk and stare out of the window at the school yard and wonder where he went wrong. During tennis practice he barely moved to catch any balls and Ichitaka-buchou ordered him to run laps as a consequence. Eiji didn't put any effort into that either. Arai was concerned and showered Eiji with all kinds of attention for the next few days. Arai doted on Eiji, bought him candies and walked him home everyday. Soon Eiji seemed to brighten a little. Inside, Eiji felt numb but Arai's arms around him helped a bit. Even Tezuka shot the young acrobat worried looks.

After a week of this, Eiji was smiling again. He didn't feel so lonely at nights any more. He had Arai… Arai was who he wanted anyway. Atobe was just a passing wind.

A wind.

Two weeks later, Eiji still heard nothing from Atobe. He was kind of happy for that. If he saw Atobe maybe all those old feelings would come back. Yeah, Eiji was happy he never had to see that stupid face anymore.

Eiji tied his shoe laces and slung his tennis bag over his shoulder. Arai came up and hugged him from behind.

"Eiji," he said.

"Aa, Masashi-kun," Eiji leaned back into his boyfriend's embrace. He was so grateful to Arai. It was funny how Arai was always there. Arai was who Eiji originally wanted anyway, and Arai proved himself by being there for Eiji, even when he had no clue why Eiji had even slunk into his depression. Eiji turned and buried his head in Arai's chest. "Masashi-kun, don't you have to go straight to work?"

Arai pulled Eiji in closer.

"I just wanted to make sure you'd be ok."

Eiji nodded, clutching onto Arai's shirt. "Hoi, I'm fine, nya. Thanks to you."

They separated when they heard someone reenter the changing room. It was Tezuka.

"I have to lock up," Tezuka explained.

"Aa, sorry," Arai apologized. He picked up both his and Eiji's bags and put it over his shoulder. "Come on, Eiji."

Eiji nodded, and took Arai's hand. They exited the changing room.

As they exited the school gates Arai turned to Eiji.

"I gotta go this way," Arai said. "I'll call you after I get off, ok?"

Eiji nodded. "Ok! I'll be waiting." He kissed Arai's cheek and waved him off.

Elsewhere, Atobe was also having a weird time with his break up with Eiji. He couldn't quite place his feelings. He couldn't quite place why he did it. He had to admit it… he got scared. The great Atobe was scared when Eiji said that he needed him. Atobe's head swirled. What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to think?

Atobe wanted Eiji. He liked the warmth Eiji gave. Eiji was different than Hiyoshi, he was emotional and easy to read. Atobe reached for it. He wanted that. He got it. He got Eiji and once Eiji was hooked he let him go. He was too afraid of the brute honesty in Eiji's quivering voice…

"But I want to talk to YOU, Keigo…"

Atobe remembered the look that passed over the boy's eyes whenever Hiyoshi was mentioned. There was something scary about that intense honesty. And don't get Atobe started on Eiji's smile… there was something unreal about that smile…

After the break up with Eiji, he tried to live without both. He really did. He tried focusing solely on Hiyoshi for the first few days, but Hiyoshi seemed to get annoyed with Atobe's doting. Atobe started practicing with Ryoma and Tezuka more, but he could tell Ryoma was a bit annoyed with his presence, even if he was Ryoma's boyfriend's best friend. Atobe even hooked up with Mizuki a few times.

"So how's it going with Kikumaru?" Mizuki had asked between kisses.

"We broke up," Atobe replied, and then quickly shut up the other boy with another kiss.

Mizuki was a good lover, which was why Atobe went to him so often, but his mind always drifted back to Eiji and how he'd never heard Eiji's moans in lovemaking. Mizuki must had noticed.

"You know," Mizuki had said while pulling his shirt on after a rough session. "You really should make up with him. You don't perform as well when you're distracted."

Mizuki had said it in a half joking manner but Atobe knew there was a bit of seriousness in it. Insults aside, Atobe knew Mizuki was right. Atobe needed to have it back. He wouldn't run. He needed it. He needed Eiji just as much as he needed Hiyoshi. He couldn't live without them both.

So that led to Atobe's next move. His limo pulled up to the Kikumaru residence and he stepped out and waved his driver goodbye. Atobe made his way up the walk and towards the door… he could do this…he could…

Eiji wasn't expecting to see Atobe anymore. He had convinced himself that he didn't even want to see him. As far as Eiji knew he was perfectly happy with his relationship with Arai. He couldn't even imagine what it was about that arrogant prick he even liked in the first place… that is… until he opened his door.

When he opened that door and saw Atobe standing there, it was like a dam inside his chest broke. That numb feeling wasn't there anymore. All he felt was pain and awfulness. The world was so ugly, and all because of this beautiful boy. Atobe was standing there with that smile on his face, as if to say "It's ok now… Ore-sama's here."

But that was the problem. Atobe WAS the problem. When would he understand that? But Eiji couldn't think. He couldn't speak. He couldn't do anything but fling his arms around Atobe's neck and cry and struggle to reach his lips. Atobe obliged him by meeting his kiss and deepened it. They didn't speak. Nothing was said because they couldn't find the words, or time for the words. Somehow they made it back to Eiji's room. There were more kisses and soon there were clothes being tossed everywhere. Eiji couldn't think, his mind was blinded by the pleasure Atobe was giving him. He couldn't believe how good it felt or how much his body was responding on its own. There was no time for coherent thoughts or words. It was time for his body to be truthful. This was what he wanted.

"Aa, Keigo!"

Eiji gasped and pulled Atobe even closer, if that were even possible. It felt so good like this. Eiji couldn't imagine why he'd denied Atobe before. It seemed ludicrous to even think to do so now. Eiji knew that Atobe was all he wanted from now on. He would share Atobe with the world if he had to, he didn't care if he were second, just as long as he were someone.

When they finished, Atobe attempted to pull away but Eiji fastened his arms around him keeping him down.

"Please. I don't want you to leave me," Eiji pleaded.

"I'm not going to leave you," Atobe assured, pulling away again and rolling to the side.

Eiji turned to his side to face Atobe, only to be greeted by the other boy's back.

"Hoi Kiego," Eiji said, poking him with his index finger.

"Hm?" Atobe didn't bother to turn around to look. "What? Ore-sama is tired."

Eiji pouted, "I was just gonna ask why you came here today. I really missed you."

Atobe didn't move or make any indication that he had heard Eiji at all. Eiji sighed and slid out of the bed, and pulling on his clothes that were on the floor. Atobe had heard of course, but he didn't know how to answer. Was he supposed to say, "Ore-sama missed you too." Were those the right words?

"You're very cruel," Eiji said, looking back at Atobe. Atobe turned to look at Eiji and glared.

"How is Ore-sama cruel? Ore-sama came back, right?"

Eiji nodded and Atobe sat up and cupped Eiji's cheek in his hand.

"Did you want to hear these words? 'I like you'?" Atobe asked, pressing his forehead against Eiji's. "'I want to be with you…'"

Eiji blushed a little. "Is that true?"

"Of course it is."

They sat like that a moment before moving in for a kiss, when Eiji's cell phone rang. Both boys jumped and Eiji got off the bed to look for his phone. He grabbed it off the desk and looked at the display. "Masashi—"

Eiji felt his stomach drop. Arai! He forgot about Arai… and he… Oh god… Eiji covered his hand with a mouth as everything came into perspective... He slept with Atobe.

to be continued...

AN: WOOHOO! Chapter up and ready to post. Uhm... I am working on the next chapter of EijiSakuno story so that'll likely be up before chapter 17 of this... what else? Read and Review this little story. Eiji and Atobe and Arai want to know how u feel. And Hiyoshi... well who knows what he wants right now. REVIEW. Thanks


	17. Chapter 17

AN: FINALLY! A chapter talking about Atobe and Hiyoshi... although I dunno if any of ya'll really wanted this.

Chapter 17

Hiyoshi was sitting on his boyfriend's bed doing some homework. His family had to go away for a week and let Hiyoshi stay with Atobe for the week. He didn't mind really. He was curious about his cousin, who just gave birth to twins, but he couldn't afford to take off from school.

As Hiyoshi was working on his math, the door opened and in stepped Atobe, looking as jolly as ever.

"Hey, Keigo," Hiyoshi greeted. "You have fun?"

"Yeah, Tezuka and I hit a few balls and got some soda afterwards," Atobe lied, peeling off his shirt to get ready for a shower.

"Heh, really?" Hiyoshi asked. "Since when did Tezuka start leaving scratches on your back?"

"Ore-sama doesn't know what you're talking about," was Atobe's reply. He disappeared into the bathroom.

Hiyoshi sat there, staring after his boyfriend. He was not mistaken, there were definitely fresh red scratches on Atobe's back, and Tezuka was not the cause of them. Hiyoshi wasn't stupid. He normally knew when Atobe cheated on him with Mizuki. However, Mizuki never left scratches, instead, that creepy little Catholic whore's cheap cologne would cling to Atobe until he showered. Apparently, Atobe now found someone new to cheat on him with. Hiyoshi couldn't understand why he wasn't enough. It irritated him. Hiyoshi prided himself on being confident in Atobe and his feelings for him. He was Atobe's number one… or so he convinced himself. Atobe said he loved him and only him… and yet, Hiyoshi couldn't help but feel insecure. Atobe was perfect. Why did he want him? Hiyoshi pushed the bad thought from his mind.

"Gekokujou." he mumbled, getting back to his work.

When Atobe got into the bathroom, he looked at his back in the full length mirror.

"Fuck," he muttered.

Sure enough, Eiji had left scratches. Atobe hadn't even felt them. Next time he'd have to warn Eiji not to do that… although the thought was mildly erotic. Atobe washed and relaxed in the tub for a while thinking of his day. So he and Kikumaru were a couple again. Atobe again had two boyfriends… both adored him. Both were cute in their own way. Both made him smile. Both made his heart flutter. Atohe couldn't choose, and if it were up to him, he wouldn't have to. He had tried to convinced himself on the way home that Hiyoshi would never leave him, if all were to come out in the open. Still, if that were the case, why did he want to hide it so bad?

As if on cue, a little Tezuka popped in his head.

"If it wasn't wrong, your conscience wouldn't be bothering you right now," the little Tezuka scolded.

"My conscience isn't bothering me," Atobe replied. "You're bothering me!"

"Denial," Tezuka said. "You know you feel bad for all the ways you have wronged Hiyoshi. It's only a matter of time before it all catches up to you."

"Shut up. Ore-sama is going to block you out now!" Atobe slunk further into the water and closed his eyes.

The little Tezuka just crossed his arms and poofed away.

After successfully battling his Tezuka conscience and relaxing, Atobe walked out of his bathroom, wrapped in a fluffy lavender towel. Hiyoshi was still in the same spot, working on his math.

"Need any help, Love?" Atobe asked, crossing over to the bed and plopping down.

"No, I'm almost finished," Hiyoshi replied.

Atobe wrapped his arms around Hiyoshi's waist. He fell back on to the pillows and pulled Hiyoshi closer. Hiyoshi met Atobe's eyes and fought back the smile that was threatening to spread across his face.

"I'm not finished yet," the little mushroom said.

Atobe planted a kiss on Hiyoshi's lips and Hiyoshi accepted. They kissed slowly and sensually. Atobe loved how into the kisses Hiyoshi always was. Hiyoshi moaned and turned so his back was laying flat against the bed's surface, bringing Atobe with him. Atobe smiled at this action and moved down to suck at Hiyoshi's favorite spot at his collar. Hiyoshi grabbed at the back of Atobe's neck with one hand and ran the other one over Atobe's chest which was still hot from the bath he just took. Atobe grinded against Hiyoshi.

"Ouch!" Hiyoshi said pushing Atobe away.

"What?" Atobe asked, confused.

Hiyoshi reached under his back and pulled out a pencil.

"This poked me," Hiyoshi pouted.

Atobe took the pencil and tossed it away and went to try to kiss Hiyoshi again but Hiyoshi had gotten up to retrieve the pencil.

"I gotta finish my homework," Hiyoshi said as he got back on the bed. He grabbed his now wrinkled paper and returned to work.

Atobe got up off the bed and went to get some pajamas. As he put them on he spoke.

"So why are you still working on homework this late, anyway?"

"Taki, Shishido, and Ootori came by to hang out. We ordered pizza and watched old movies."

"Taki? You invited Taki here without my permission?" Atobe asked, slipping under the covers beside Hiyoshi.

"Well, yeah. He is our friend, right?" Hiyoshi stated, as if that were obvious.

Atobe groaned, "Why? You know how I feel about Taki being alone in a room with you."

"We weren't alone. We were with Shishido and Ootori."

"Well I wasn't there to supervise."

"There's nothing to supervise," Hiyoshi replied, a bit of annoyance now showing in his voice. "I don't see why you act like it's a big deal when I hang out with him. He's just another one of the regulars."

"Yeah, but he seems like he has ulterior motives!" Atobe said wiggling his fingers as if that would show how serious it was… but instead he just looked stupid… yes, Atobe can look stupid.

"You mean… like gekokujyou?" Hiyoshi asked.

"Exactly! Gekokujou!" Atobe stated.

Hiyoshi just looked at Atobe like he was crazy and then shook his head.

"No, that's my job," Hiyoshi replied.

He then returned to his homework and Atobe picked up the book that was sitting on his nightstand. He opened it to his page, but he couldn't help but worry a little about Taki. He and Hiyoshi had been dating ever since Hiyoshi was a 3rd year in junior high. However, Atobe knew something Hiyoshi didn't know. Taki had liked Hiyoshi even longer than Atobe did.

to be continued...

AN: Thanks for reading. My laptop is broken so my posting speed will be slower. Sorry about that. Oh and... I need a BETA reader for a fic called "My Heart Draws a Dream". The first chapter is up. It will be my first time working with a beta but I hope it will really help me improve! If you would PM me about it if you're interested I would be happy as pie. anyway, thanks again for reading please review!


	18. Chapter 18

AN: Hello! This fic is nearing the end of the road! Enjoy this chapter. There are only a few left. This story was supposed to be Eiji-centric but now it's just an Atobe, Eiji, Hiyoshi, Arai fun-fest... and i don't even know if that's a good thing. Enjoy reading!

Chapter 18

Tezuka knew that Atobe and Kikumaru were back together. Atobe had told him. Eiji had fallen into a depression after the initial break up, but was steadily making his way back to the surface. Now that he and Atobe were together again, Tezuka noticed another drop in the acrobat's spirits. Tezuka glanced across the courts to Arai. The first year was running drills with one of their sempai. However, Tezuka didn't fail to notice the worried glances Arai was sending Eiji's way.

"Interesting, isn't it?" a voice popped up behind Tezuka.

The stoic co-captain didn't have to turn to see it was Fuji.

"It's not fair. Eiji and I are supposed to be best friends," the genius stated.

"He hasn't been talking to you?"

"No, and it seems he has a lot weighing on his mind," Fuji sighed. He turned to Tezuka and crossed his arms. "So who is he cheating on Arai with?"

"What makes you think he's cheating?"

Fuji just smiled.

"Keigo Atobe," Tezuka answered.

"Hmmm," Fuji placed a hand on his chin. "That's no good."

Tezuka couldn't tell what Fuji meant, but he decided walking away would be the best course of action, so that's what he did.

Later on during that morning practice, Arai and Satou were in charge of putting away a torn net and replacing it. They were working on removing the old one when Fuji approached.

"Aa, Fuji-sampai!" Satou exclaimed. "We're replacing the net on this court so you have to go to the next one."

Fuji just bent down and took the bundle of net from Satou's arms.

"Please don't mind me, Satou-kun, but could you please allow Arai-kun and I some time alone?"

"Yes Fuji-sempai!" Satou said with a blush. He got up and left quickly.

Arai watched as Fuji began untangling the mass of net Satou had left. There was complete silence between the two as they worked. Arai knew that Fuji was Eiji's best friend so he was pretty sure this had something to do with his boyfriend. Arai let out a sigh and finally Fuji began to speak.

"Ever since you and Eiji began dating, he hasn't had much time for poor ol' Shusuke," Fuji lamented.

Arai looked up at the other boy, still hunched over the net. To his surprise, Fuji had already it untangles and was now looking over the tear.

"I'm sorry to hear that, sempai," Arai stated truthfully. "But lately, Eiji hasn't had anytime for me either."

Fuji opened his eyes and flashed Arai a knowing look.

"Have you ever thought to ask him why?"

---

After having slept with Atobe, Eiji had became guilt-ridden and began ignoring Arai's calls. It even got to the point where Eiji turned off his phone. Eiji knew his actions would be suspicious, but he couldn't bring himself to answer. Atobe had left for the night to return to Hiyoshi, but Eiji found no comfort in having wronged Arai.

Now it was lunch time and Arai had him cornered on the roof. Eiji was enjoying a delicious lunch with Fuji when Arai had came up there.

"Hello, Sempaitachi," Arai greeted.

"Hello, Arai-kun," Fuji said. "You can sit here. I have to go meet Shuichiro in the library."

"Ok, have fun," Eiji said.

Fuji gathered his belongings and then exited down the stairs. Arai sat right where Fuji once was and smiled at his boyfriend.

"Eiji, I tried calling last night," Arai said.

"Y,yes, I saw but my battery ran out. I left my charger at Shusuke's and couldn't charge it," Eiji lied.

"I see," Arai said. "I didn't want to call your home phone as it was already late."

"Thank you, Masashi-kun," Eiji smiled. "That's very considerate."

"But I wish you would have called me," Arai said, looking down at his lunch.

Nothing else was said between the two as they sat there. Eiji picked at his bentou but Arai simply stared at his. Arai's face had distress written all over it. He looked like he had so much to say but no way to say it. Eiji reached over, taking his kouhai turned boyfriend's hand and immediately Arai's eyes turned towards Eiji. He looked hurt, and Eiji didn't like that look at all. Not in the least.

"Masashi kun…?" Eiji asked.

"Eiji-sempai…" Masashi began, tentatively. He knew he had to say those words. "We need to talk."

---

Afternoon practice at Hyotei Gakuen was as productive as ever. With a fukubuchou like Atobe and a coach like Sakaki it had to be. The Buchou was out sick with a flu so Atobe was ruling the courts with an iron fist. The non regulars were running laps and the pre regulars and regulars were doing their stretches.

Atobe figured once all of the boys were seen to, he could start warming up himself. Atobe raised a hand to his chin in thought. Who would he like to practice with him today? Hiyoshi of course, but since Hiyoshi was just a 1st year he didn't want to seem to pick favorites. He decided to use a 3rd year regular, Wataru Matsui. Matsui was a good singles player. He played singles 3 while Takada-buchou and Atobe played singles 1 and 2.

Atobe was deep in these thoughts when they were unpleasantly interrupted by the sounds of many boys screaming his name in a warning tone. Atobe turned to look but instead was greeted by a punch in the face.

---

Seishun Gakuen's afternoon practice had started as well. Ichitaka-buchou was in a good mood since he got a high mark on his English test and let the regulars choose their own partners. Too bad Eiji wasn't a regular. He sighed and started the stretched and watched as Fuji walked over to Tezuka to ask to be partners. Eiji had to admit, he was jealous those two were regulars and he wasn't. Ichitaka-buchou however cut in saying he wanted to play Fuji and Tezuka walked off.

"Hey, Eiji," Inui said coming to help Eiji stretch.

"Hoi, Sadaharu, Don't you wish you were a regular like Tezuka and Shuusuke?" Eiji asked.

"Well yes," Inui stated. "But I thought you'd be more concerned about Arai-kun's whereabouts. He hasn't showed up to practice yet."

Eiji's eyes widened and he looked around the courts. Just as Inui said… Arai was no where to be found.

'Could it be…" Eiji thought…. 'Is he upset about earlier?"

Flashback.

_It was lunch and Arai told Eiji they needed to talk._

"_About?" Eiji asked, playing dumb._

"_About this relationship. I tried so hard to be good to you, Sempai, but I think you're hiding something."_

_Eiji's eye widened and then he turned his face away. There was no way Arai could know, could he?_

_Arai turned Eiji's head towards him again._

"_Well?" Arai asked._

"_I…," Eiji began, but one look in Arai's earnest eyes caused him to waver. Eiji's eyes welled up. "Oh god! Masashi-kun!" Eiji flung his arms around Arai and cried into his boyfriend's chest._

"_Eiji?" Arai asked, suddenly feeling bad for pressuring Eiji to talk._

"_I… I'm so sorry. I really do like you! I do but--"_

"_But what? Eiji what are you saying?"_

"_I… I cheated on you with Keigo Atoba-sama!"_

_Arai felt a sudden anger and pushed Eiji away and onto the floor,_

_Eiji tried apologizing. He apologized on his knees. He bowed low. He put his nose on the cement roof floor. But Arai wouldn't speak to him. When he heard that name, Arai wouldn't listen to a word Eiji said. And finally, he stood up and just left._

End Flashback.

Eiji's heart ached just from the memory. He covered his face and Inui asked what was wrong.

"Nothing," Eiji lied, before breaking into a loud sob. Soon he was full out crying.

"Eiji!" Fuji shouted, interrupting his match with Ichitaka-buchou. He ran to his friend's side and held him.

----

Back at Hyotei, Hiyoshi was stretching with Ootori when Shishido came running to them frantic.

'Hiyoshi!" Shishido exclaimed. "Some kid in a Seigaku school uniform is beating up Atobe!"

"What?" Hiyoshi said, immediately standing and pushing past Shishido and running towards the crowd.

When Hiyoshi arrived at the scene, what Shishido had said was true! He saw Atobe in a beautiful heap on the ground and the Seigaku boy standing over him. The other Hyotei students seemed more entertained by the matter than anything else and Kabaji and Coach were no where to be seen.

"Go find Coach!" Hiyoshi ordered to Shishido and Ohtori.

Atobe was very surprised by this situation. He had covered his face where he was hit and looked up to see none other than Eiji's poor looking boyfriend staring down at him.

"It's you!" Atobe gasped.

"Damn right it's me!" Arai said falling to his knees and holding Atobe's shoulder down. "You should of known this was coming when you were fucking my boyfriend!"

Arai went to swing another punch when his was kicked off by Hiyoshi.

"Get your hands off him!" Hiyoshi said.

Arai stood back up and glared at Hiyoshi.

"This isn't any of your business," Arai shouted.

"It is too my business! Keigo's my boyfriend!" Hiyoshi got into a fighting stance but Arai only laughed.

"You're really pathetic. You're going to defend him after he cheated on you?"

Hiyoshi relaxed and looked down at Atobe who was still clutching his bleeding nose on the court.

"Yes," Hiyoshi said. He turned to look at Arai. "You're the one who's really pathetic. You should remember this: Gekokujou. You came all the way here and what do you accomplish? Instead of getting angry and lashing out maybe you should think about what it is that you're lacking. Why would your lover have to cheat on you? Perhaps you're not doing enough to satisfy him."

"Then shouldn't you be asking these questions yourself?" Arai asked with a smirk.

Hiyoshi only smirked back. "I ask myself these questions every day."

Atobe's mouth had dropped as he stared up at Hiyoshi. He knew. Since when? How? How did he know? Atobe's head swirled.

"I suggest you go, Arai-san--that's your name right--Before Shishido-san arrives with Coach. I'd hate to see you get suspended." Hiyoshi turned his back and began to walk away. "Come on, Keigo. We have to clean you up."

Atobe didn't move from his spot on the ground and Hiyoshi sighed.

"Keigo. Hurry up, or we're finished."

Atobe moved without another word and followed his boyfriend to the infirmary. The Hyotei tennis club witnessed it all in silence, all too stunned and not really believing it were real. Arai turned and pushed through the crowed… one thing on his mind.

_Gekokujou_

That Hiyoshi kid wasn't that bad.

AN: Thanks for reading. Uhm... let's see... I love Hiyoshi and I love Gekokujou. It's an awesoe saying and can be applied to nearly every situation. go Wakashi kun!!! about the little incident: Arai showed up in a seigaku school uniform. not a tennis uniform. Anyway my computer is still broken. Hope you had as much fun reading this as I did wrtiing it... please review. i love reviews.


	19. Chapter 19

AN: WOW AND UPDATE! I'll explain the details of my absence later.

Chapter 19

All was silent but for the sounds of balls bouncing outside the window of the infirmary. When Hiyoshi and Atobe entered, the nurse was no where to be found. Atobe sat down on a bed and Hiyoshi fished around for some cotton balls and iodine. There was silence as Hiyoshi got to work cleaning the scratches on his boyfriend's face. Atobe winced slightly as the white cotton touched against his red skin, but when he saw Hiyoshi's serious and stern expression, he thought better of complaining.

Hiyoshi finally finished and placed the refuse in the hazardous waste bin and sighed, turning to look out of the window, seemingly observing the Hyotei High School tennis team's practice below. Atobe shifted uncomfortably in his seat. What was he supposed to say in this situation? Sorry? Thank You? Atobe's head swam with confusion. Was Hiyoshi angry?

"Wakashi-kun…" Atobe began tentatively.

Hiyoshi turned towards him, the sun was behind him, so Atobe couldn't tell what expression he had on his face.

"Thank you," Atobe went on, judging Hiyoshi's silence as permission for him to continue speaking. "I appreciate all that you've done. I realize… I now realize I've been a less than perfect boyfriend."

Hiyoshi merely chuckled, crossing the length of the room and sitting down beside Atobe on the white sheets on the school's bed.

"That's ok. I guess it's only someone as seemingly perfect as you would have some imperfections, huh?" Hiyoshi's tone of voice made it seem like he was joking, but Atobe could feel the malice behind the words.

Atobe refused to meet Hiyoshi's gaze and was behaving very uncharacteristically, but who wouldn't once being jumped in front of the entire tennis team and finding out that your boyfriend knew you were cheating on him. Atobe's eyes widened and he sat up a little, turning his head to face Hiyoshi.

"H,how did you know?" Atobe asked.

"Hmmm?" Hiyoshi asked.

"How did you know about the others?" the Hyotei king clarified.

"Aa," Hiyoshi shrugged carelessly. "Well… I always knew about it. It wasn't like you were discreet. You were too cocky for that. However, I guess I thought it wouldn't matter as long as it was me you thought of at the end of the day. It was me that you thought of, wasn't it? Until… now… Now it's different isn't it?" Hiyoshi looked down at his lap, biting at his lip, fighting at the right words to say.

Atobe tried to take one of Hiyoshi's hand in his but the other boy pulled away from the touch, flinching as if it hurt.

"If you don't like me anymore… I guess then the right thing to do is to break up with you," Hiyoshi's voice trembled as he spoke.

Atobe's heart broke to hear his Wakashi-kun speak that way. He would never do that, he'd never leave him never.

"So… I just hope you're happy," Hiyoshi went to stand but Atobe grabbed his wrist and pulled him down, back to a seated position.

Their eyes met but neither said anything as they became hypnotized by the emotions they could read in each other's gaze but not make sense of. Atobe tightened his grip on Hiyoshi's wrist.

'

"You're not acting like yourself," Atobe finally said. Hiyoshi was never one to give up on a fight. "Are you ok?"

"What kind of question is that?" Hiyoshi meant to ask it harshly but it came off a bit too soft.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

---

Eiji and Atobe had no plans that afternoon with each other, but with the emotional fallout that happened between both boys and their supposed number one boyfriends, it shouldn't have came as a surprise to Eiji when he received a text message from Atobe on his way home.

He was walking with his friend Fuji down the street when he felt his phone vibrate.

"Is it Arai?" Fuji asked as Eiji pulled the phone out his pant pocket and stared down at the LCD display.

Eiji blinked twice and then shook his head. "No, it's Keigo."

Fuji snatched the phone from Eiji's hand, flipped it open, and looked down at the phone, frowning.

"Saa, it doesn't seem to be anything important," Fuji decided, pressing a few buttons and deleting the message before Eiji could have a chance to read it.

"Nya! Fujiko!" Eiji protested.

"What?" Fuji asked. "You wanted to hear what he had to say?"

Eiji kept mum and looked down at his feet and Fuji shook his head.

"So that's how it is huh?" Fuji asked. "You've made your decision?"

Eiji nodded slowly. "I really hurt Masashi-kun but… I can't forget Keigo."

Fuji sighed and handed Eiji back his cell phone. Eiji clutched the device tightly in his hand, confused by Fuji's slight attitude.

"Promise me you won't call him," Fuji said, staring at Eiji with his blue eyes.

Eiji said nothing and only looked away. He couldn't promise Fuji anything.

"I understand,," Fuji sighed, turning to walk away.

Fuji, now knowing all of what went on with his best friend in the time between his getting with Arai and now, felt no leaning towards liking Atobe, even just a little. Atobe was not a suitable match for his best friend, not in the least. He was admittedly distressed over Eiji's choosing of Atobe over Arai. However he was convinced this all would be over really soon without his intervention, besides he _had_ read the text Atobe had sent.

_I can't do this anymore…. -Keigo_

AN: Wow i think only two more chapters left after this... although it was supposed to be only two more from 18 but I made the infirmary scene longer than i intended... anyway, as you know I was out of town and my computer broke. I'm back from Richmond AND i have a new laptop. I bought it with mah own money and now I am BROKE! NUUU! anyway, that should mean updates will be a-coming! I start school back up next monday so... I hope to finish this sometime before then. The next chapter SHOULD be the last and the only one afterward should be the epilouge... though the way I have it planned, the "epilogue" may actually be more the ending fufufu. anyway! thanks for READING and REVIEW pl0x!


	20. Chapter 20

AN: getting this chapter out is like PULLING TEETH!

Chapter 20

No matter how many times Eiji called Atobe, there was never an answer. He called many times before dinner and by the 3rd time Atobe simply turned off his phone. Therefore, Eiji was almost convinced that Atobe wouldn't answer his phone when he called again the next morning before practice. To his surprise Atobe did.

"What do you want?" Atobe greeted harshly, much to Eiji's surprise.

"Hoi, Keigo-sama I've been trying to get in contact with you all last night, nya!" Eiji replied.

Eiji heard Atobe sigh on the other end heavily. "Ore-sama sent you a text message."

"Yes, I know. But Fujiko deleted it before I could read it."

"Fujiko, huh? How silly of him to delete Ore-sama's message. Now you made this unnecessary phone call."

"Unnecessary?" Eiji asked. "Keigo, what happened?" Eiji stopped walking and leaned against a brick wall. Why was Atobe speaking so strangely? Eiji could hear Atobe shift the phone around before he got an answer.

"Did you speak to your boyfriend yesterday, Kikumaru?" Atobe asked, voice a little low.

Kikumaru? Eiji was confused by Atobe's use of his family name.

"He came by Hyotei yesterday during afternoon practice," Atobe stated.

Eiji let out a gasp. "Masashi-kun went to Hyotei after… oh no--"

"Ore-sama was not pleased!"

"Keigo I'm so sorry!" Eiji's voice trembled a little. "I'm so sorry I hope he didn't cause any trouble! I'll break up with him today just please don't be mad at me if he did anything bad!"

Eiji feared for the worse. Did he cause an argument on the courts? Did Arai get suspended for trespassing on another school property?

"No, there's no need to get worked up, Kikumaru." That name again. "I texted you yesterday to tell you I've made up my mind. We're over."

"What!?" Eiji dropped his school bag on the sidewalk and didn't even notice as two girls gave him a weird look as they passed. "Keigo!? What happened?"

"Oresama has realized you're more trouble than it's worth," Atobe replied.

Eiji couldn't belive his ears. Atobe was breaking up with him again?

"Keigo, no! Tell me what Masashi... I mean... Arai did! Tell me!"

"You're silly to think this has anything to do with your poor boyfriend. Ore-sama is in love with Wakashi-kun. Simple. As. That."

Atobe's voice was so smug that Eiji couldn't be sure at that point if the other boy had feelings at all.

"You're… how could you say that?" Eiji began… fighting back the tears and trying to hide the quiver in his voice. "You're really selfish, you know that!?"

"Weren't you the one who wanted me to make a choice?" Atobe asked, cooly.

"No! I'll share! I'll share you my entire life!" Eiji tugged at his own hair in frustration.

"Good bye, Kikumaru."

"No! No! Atobe-sama!" Eiji cried into the phone but Atobe still hung up.

Eiji urgently dialed Atobe's number again, but it went straight to voice mail. He wanted to leave a message but something in him wouldn't let him speak. Instead the tears just proceeded to roll down his cheeks as he stared into space ahead. He slid down, squatting against the wall and looking down at the sidewalk. He sat there like that for a few minutes, phone in his hand, pointing down to the cement. It was over now? No it wasn't? He was in love with Atobe… it couldn't be over. It just---

"AHHH!" Eiji slammed the phone down into the pavement and then jumped back when he felt it vibrate against his hand. He looked at the LCD, hoping to see Atobe's name but instead saw "Masashi". Eiji wouldn't answer that… not now. It just wouldn't be right. What happened? Why did Masashi go to Hyotei yesterday? Eiji sighed and pocketed the phone, standing up and shouldering his bag. The only way to find out was to go to school. So he sucked it in, wiped his tears and began his walk to Seigaku.

At Seigaku, Arai noticed Eiji was not yet at school. He got dressed in his practice clothes and then grabbed his racket out of his bag.

"Hey, where were you yesterday?" Satou asked.

Arai shrugged. "There was a family emergency," he lied.

Arai didn't like to lie to his friend, however he didn't want to come to his friend about his relationship troubles either. He knew that Satou would probably advise him to break up with Kikumaru, but that was the route Arai wanted to avoid.

What should he do then? It was obvious that his senpai really cared for that creep Atobe since the rich diva effected his mood so much. The other boy could send Eji into a state of bliss or depression easily. That discomforted Arai gravely. How important was he to Kikumaru after all? Arai had missed practice yesterday and yet Kikumaru hadn't called. It was always Arai who called him. However, Arai hadn't called his boyfriend in fear of saying the wrong thing in his anger and confusion.

Oh who was Arai kidding… he wasn't handsome… he wasn't rich. He was exactly what Atobe called him… a Poor looking boy. Arai let out a sigh, he shouldn't be thinking so negative and yet… he was bested.

Arai exited the locker room, following Satou dejectedly. His senpai still hadn't arrived and it was already time to warm up.

"Arai, you work in group B," Ichitaka buchou ordered.

Arai nodded and went to his group. He did his stretches and thought some more. Atobe had a boyfriend too, Arai remembered. That boy, Hiyoshi was willing to stand by Atobe despite his short comings. Arai sighed knowing it would be hard to see things that way. What did Arai want from Eiji? He wanted to be friends, he wanted to be lovers, he wanted to have trust, he wanted to have commitment and honesty he wanted…

BAM! That was the sound of the changing room door slamming shut.

He looked towards the changing room, hoping to see Eiji come out bouncing and happy and running to Fuji's side, apologizing to Ichitaka-buchou for being but was instead greeted with something completely different. Eiji was dressed in his training clothes, sluggishly walking towards the courts with his racket dragging on the ground. His head was dropped a little low, but he raised his arm to his eyes to wipe at what Arai thought must had been tears.

Arai's heart broke at the picture and then Arai knew what he wanted. He wanted to see Eiji happy. He wanted to see Eiji smile again.

To be continued….

AN: BAD CHAPTER BAD! This wasn't what I planned at all... still one more real chapter to go before the epilouge. it should be really short though. Please review, btw It really motivates me.


	21. Chapter 21

AN: Did i say this chapter going to be short? I lied

Chapter 21

"No! Atobe-sama--"

Atobe ignored Eiji's pleas and hung up the phone, immediately turning it off. He knew Eiji would call back and just hearing the other boy's voice was already weakening his resolve. He should of never picked up. He sighed and pulled out his compact mirror, inspecting the make-up he put on to hide his black eye. Atobe's morning ride to school was usually peaceful, but this morning was anything but. He turned to look out the window, seeing that they were nearing the school gate. Today was a new day and he was a new man.

At Hyotei Gakuen Hiyoshi slammed his locker door shut loudly and he was approached by Haginosuke Taki.

"You weren't answering your phone last night."

Hiyoshi sighed and sat down on the bench, tightening his shoelaces.

"I was busy with homework," Hiyoshi replied. It wasn't totally a lie. He and Atobe had made up and spent some of the evening together. But afterwards, Hiyoshi did get busy with homework.

Taki sat down beside Hiyoshi and their hands 'accidently' brushed against each other. Taki didn't seem to notice but Hiyoshi pulled his hand away.

"I'm really sorry about what had happened," Taki said. "I was really worried about you yesterday, you know. We all were. Me, Shishido-san, Ootori-kun."

"You don't have to worry so much about me," Hiyoshi said. "Everything's fine between Keigo and I."

"How long are you going to keep telling your self that?" Taki asked.

Hiyoshi clenched his fist and turned his head away. How dare Taki tell him what he already knew? He didn't even know why he always fell for Atobe's soft and reassuring words. Atobe was Atobe and he would always get what he wanted.

"I know what you're thinking," Taki said. "You think Atobe gets whatever he wants. That's not true. All you have to do is say 'no'."

"I don't understand. What's wrong with me?" Hiyoshi asked in a whisper. "Am I not good enough?"

"You're not acting like yourself," Taki said.

"That's what he said too," replied Hiyoshi, grimly.

The pair sat silently together as the boys around them dressed and chatted, getting ready for morning practice.

Hiyoshi set out a final heavy sigh.

"Thank you, Taki." Hiyoshi said, finally, setting a hand on the older boy's shoulder. "You've been a good friend."

Hiyoshi was about to let go when he felt himself get pulled into Taki's embrace. Hiyoshi gasped, but then fit into the embrace. When they parted, Hiyoshi thanked Taki again and stood up to go outside and begin warming up. Taki watched as his kouhai made his way out the door and didn't notice when Shishido sat down beside him.

"Ok, what was that about?" Shishido demanded to know.

"What do you mean?" Taki asked.

"You hugging Hiyoshi. You know if Atobe finds out he'll flip," Shishido said.

"You know, I really don't care right now. I'm just tired of Atobe treating him like that… well you know what they say? 'You don't know what you got 'til it's gone.'"

Shishido said nothing to that. Taki could have whatever delusions he wanted.

During morning practice Atobe spent a lot of time helping Hiyoshi out. Hiyoshi and Atobe played a few games, and Atobe went easy on him. Atobe was hitting a serve toward Hiyoshi when the boy across the net said.

"Keigo, Do you really love me?"

"Of course Ore-sama loves you," Atobe said, not interrupting his serve.

"Prove it." Hiyoshi flawlessly hit it back.

Atobe laughed and the ball hit the fence. Atobe fingered his racket strings and grabbed another ball from his pocket. "How do expect Ore-sama to do that?"

"Don't act smug with me. Your serve," Hiyoshi said getting into position.

Atobe bounced the ball against the court. "Ore-sama already broke up with Kikumaru, if that's what you mean."

"No… that's not what I mean, Keigo. Why did you ask me to play with you today? Are you trying to make this all up to me?"

"Isn't that the right thing to do?"

"Honestly, Keigo. I don't think you're going to change."

"That's pretty rude of you to say."

"Maybe… but right now I know this wasn't how I envisioned us to be. I really love you but--" Hiyoshi was one to usually have good control of his emotions. He had coped with Atobe's infidelity for a long time, so he could cope with this too. He took in a deep breath and then said. "Come on. It's your serve."

Atobe hesitated but served anyway. They hit a rally back and forth, each scrutinizing the other from beyond the net, never letting a single movement of the other escape. After a few minutes of intense rallying Atobe finally spoke.

"You're right… I don't know why but, I have feelings for… Eiji."

Atobe scored the point.

"I don't know why but I'm drawn to him and it happened so fast. It probably wouldn't have happened if Kunimitsu hadn't--"

"So it's Tezuka's fault now?" growled Hiyoshi. "Why are you blaming everyone else?!"

"Just shut up and hear Ore-sama out!!" Atobe screamed, loud enough for everyone around them to stop playing and look over at them. Atobe sent them all a warning glare and everyone returned to practice as normal. Atobe served another ball and Hiyoshi successfully hit it back.

"So?" Hiyoshi asked.

"Don't make this hard, ok? Ore-sama is trying do the best thing and not hurt you."

"It's obviously not working. You're really stupid you know that? You think being with me out of pity is better than what you've been giving me these past two years. I really do love you but you're not making this easy."

Atobe said nothing and reflected on what Hiyoshi said. Was he only with Hiyoshi out of pity? No, that couldn't be it. He really cared about Hiyoshi. Hiyoshi was there for him at a really important time in his life. Atobe couldn't disregard all that Hiyoshi had done from him. He had found Atobe broken in spirits, he mended that, and how did Atobe repay him? With jealously, not letting the younger boy choose his own friends. With infidelity, spending countless nights with his arms wrapped around another. With unreciprocated love, redirecting that misguided affection towards someone else. Eiji Kikumaru… That's who he wanted. He wanted to be with Eiji and that was the final decision that had to be made. Eiji would give up everything for him and he would have to do the same. It was only fair.

Atobe purposefully let the next ball fly right past him and sighed, preparing for what he had to say.

"Hiyoshi, you're right," Atobe said. "Ore-sama is no longer in love with you."

Hiyoshi swept some of his bangs out of his face, wiping some sweat from his brow. There was a bit of silence before Hiyoshi found the words to say.

"You promise to be better to him than you were to me?"

Atobe only nodded.

Hiyoshi pointed his racket towards Atobe. "Fine. And I will find someone more suitable than you… Gekokujou." Hiyoshi let go of the racket letting it clatter to the ground and turned to walk off.

"Wakashi-kun!" Atobe called after him, but Hiyoshi only continued walking.

He couldn't let Atobe see him now. He couldn't do it. He sped up the pace as he felt the first tears threatening to break through. He couldn't show he was weak. He was stronger than this. He wasn't going to let something like this tear him down. Hiyoshi rushed off, feeling the heat of 200 pairs of eyes at his back and then reached his destination, ignoring Takada-buchou's questioning shout. And then he was in the locker room and he did the one thing he couldn't bear to do: cry.

To be continued…

AN: One more chapter to go... or maybe two if i really do decide to write an epilogue. Please Review. They make me giddy with joy! And I'll need em since i'll be starting this semester monday! fufufu. Review pl0x!


	22. Chapter 22

AN: WHAT! WHAT! Unfortunately, OCCness to come...

Chapter 22

Atobe watched as Hiyoshi rushed across the court, as he was bombarded by an empty feeling. Something wasn't right and yet he made the right decision. Right? Atobe's head swirled and he walked over to where Hiyoshi dropped his racket and picked it up off of the ground. The handle was still hot and wet from Hiyoshi's tight grip and Atobe's heart quickened unrepentantly. That empty feeling grew and Atobe looked up towards the direction his now ex-boyfriend ran off to. Had he made a mistake?

Atobe made as if to walk towards the clubhouse when he saw someone else had already beat him there, Haginosuke Taki was already opening the door.

Hiyoshi didn't hear it when the door opened. He was sitting on the floor, pressed against a bench and a locker with his head in his arms.

"Hiyoshi…"

Hiyoshi's head shot up and he turned towards the intruder.

"T,taki-sempai!" Hiyoshi gasped, quickly wiping at his tears with his starter jacket sleeve. He sprang up quickly and grabbed a nearby towel that was randomly lying around. "I forgot my towel." Hiyoshi dabbed at his eyes with it as if he were sweating. Instantly Hiyoshi froze, inhaling the familiar scent of the towel. It was Atobe's scent. He lowered the towel from his eyes and stared down at the purple abomination in hi hands. How could he possible had picked up this towel of all towels in the world. Why did Atobe choose this day out of everyday to carelessly leave a stinky towel on the bench of the clubhouse.

"That's Atobe's towel," Taki said. He obviously also made the connection.

"What? I can't use… K,keigo's towel?" Hiyoshi fumbled with the name a bit, but he got it out. His stomach seemed to knot up in his belly.

Taki shook his head. "Hiyoshi-kun, why are you acting like that? I saw what happened just now. He broke up with you."

Hiyoshi shot Taki a tentative glare but then, still clutching the towel to his chest, sighed.

"Do you think… I was stupid?"

"What?" Taki asked.

"Do you think I should of tried harder?" Hiyoshi asked.

Taki shook his head, "No way! I think Atobe was a fool!"

Hiyoshi let out a heavy sigh and sat down on the bench. His eyes hurt, his chest hurt, his stomach hurt. He just wanted relief. Taki sat down beside him on the bench.

"Hiyoshi-kun--" Taki began. Hiyoshi said nothing, but only stared down at the towel in his hands. "I've liked you a really long time."

Hiyoshi's eyes widened and he turned his gaze towards his sempai.

"What?" Hiyoshi asked, his voice sounding a bit accusatory.

"I never had the courage to say anything and before I knew it you were with Atobe," Taki explained.

"That's… I know you're trying to cheer me up, Taki-sempai. I really appreciate it but this isn't what I need!" Hiyoshi stood up but Taki grabbed at his wrist, stopping him from going any further. "Sempai!"

Hiyoshi couldn't say more as he was pulled down and Taki's lips met his in a hard kiss. Hiyoshi gasped against his partner's mouth and quickly pulled away, dropping the purple towel.

"Hiyoshi?" Taki asked.

"Excuse me!" Hiyoshi exclaimed, turning bright red and dashing towards the door. He swung it open and almost hit the person standing on the other side. Hiyoshi's eyes widened to see it was Atobe. Atobe had followed him and Atobe had nearly walked in on that… that kiss. Hiyoshi's face reddened even more as he pushed past his ex-boyfriend and continued on towards the courts.

Back at Seigaku, Eiji was ordered to run extra laps for being tardy and after running he joined group A for stretching.

"Morning, Eiji," Oishi greeted when his close friend fell into place beside him.

"Morning," was Eiji's only reply.

After getting through morning practice Eiji trooped along with his group members to the locker room. Arai was watching from the other side of the court with a sad expression on his face, when he felt a pat on his back. He turned to see Fuji beside him.

"Why haven't you talked to him?" Fuji asked.

"Don't be silly, sempai," Arai replied, swinging his racket under his arm and walking away. He knew Fuji didn't like that answer, so he didn't bother looking behind him. He didn't have to look to know the slight hint of displeasure that was to briefly pass over the Seigaku genius' features.

Arai entered the change room and got dressed in his uniform. He noted that Eiji was not far from him, sitting on the bench tying his shoes and listening in on a conversation between Oishi and Momo about getting new shoes. Arai buttoned his last button and shouldered his bag and went to where his boyfriend…? Yeah, his boyfriend was sitting and tapped his shoulder.

"Eiji," Arai said. "Are you ready to walk to class?"

Eiji nodded and stood, swinging his own bag over his shoulder and saying bye to Oishi and the others. They turned and walked out the clubhouse and walked towards the main school building in silence. It was always normal for Arai and Eiji to walk to class together. They'd get to the 1st year hall first and they'd stand in front of Arai's classroom and hug goodbye. However, this time there was a difference. It was obvious that they had some unresolved issues lingering in the air. There was never any close to the previous day's argument and never an agreement.

They reached the door to Arai's class and Arai said his good bye.

"Wait," Eiji choked.

Arai did as told.

"I.. I want to ask what happened to you yesterday," Eiji stated. "When you didn't come to practice. We were worried."

Arai noted Eiji said we and I. Perhaps Eiji didn't think much of him after all. Arai took in a deep breath, and readied himself for what he was about to hear.

"You went to Hyotei, didn't you?"

"I did."

"What happened?" Eiji asked. Arai noticed the acrobat was looking down at the ground and not up at him.

Arai let out a sigh, "I'm sorry."

Eiji looked up at Arai confused. "Why are you apologizing?"

"Because I… I…," Arai flushed dramatically. "Why are you asking me these things? I love you, ok? And I was upset, so I went to Hyotei and-- forget it! It's not worth it! You already chose him anyway!"

Arai turned and stormed into his classroom, leaving Eiji wide eyed and jaded, subject to the scrutiny and whispers of the other students in the hall.

To Be Continued…

AN: I think I lost touch with the characters with this chapter. And what?! The next chapter isn't the epilouge? GOODNESS! I hate myself for drawing things out too long. Geez, how long does it take for Hiyoshi to get kissed by Taki... apparently alot of words. i can't just keep things simple can i... xD... hmmm whatelse? new semester sucks so far. It's awful. Uhm, review plz! they really motivate me! THANKS! Hiyoshi loves you for it!


	23. Chapter 23

AN: LONG CHAPTER AHEAD yayz! and the last one too! before epilouge

Chapter 23

He had been careless by letting Hiyoshi break up with him, or breaking up with Hiyoshi, however way it happened. Atobe could hardly remember the conversation anymore. All he remembered was that not yet 10 minutes into the break up, Hiyoshi was running out of the club room, face flushed and quite flustered, and then upon entering the club room to see what Hiyoshi was going on about, found a rather smug Taki. No, this was not what Atobe intended. He did not keep strict watch over Wakashi Hiyoshi for the past 2 years just to lose him in a matter of minutes.

"What just happened here?" Atobe asked, voice gravely serious.

Taki shrugged and stood up, picking up Atobe's unsightly purple towel. The long haired boy threw it towards him and he caught it.

"It isn't your concern," Taki replied, eyes narrowing.

"It IS my concern," Atobe replied.

Taki sighed and walked towards the exit, which Atobe managed to block.

"You know how Ore-sama feels about you talking to Wakashi-kun," Atobe snarled.

"Don't act like that," Taki said. "You knew damn well what would happen if you ever broke up with him!"

Atobe turned and slammed open the door and slammed it shut on Taki's nose. He wasn't sure if it got him, but he was really hoping it did.

"Atobe!" Atobe turned to see his buchou flagging him down. "What are you doing? It's practice, stop lollygagging."

"Where's Hiyoshi?" Atobe asked, ignoring his buchou's question.

"Wasn't he with you?"

"Useless," Atobe scowled, seeing as that wasn't the answer he desired. He turned away, ignoring everything around him. He knew he was causing a scene, but right now he didn't care. He just had to find Hiyoshi. That was it. Unfortunately, by the time morning classes began, the mushroom headed boy was still nowhere to be found.

Atobe was not pleased at all by the events that had transpired, and he left everyone who dared approach him face his unsightly wrath. So what, who cared? They were nobody anyway, and if "ore-sama" wasn't happy, then nobody could be. NOBODY!

----

Arai found Eiji later on during lunch at his usual spot on the roof. His boyfriend was sitting, cross legged on the floor, picking at his bentou. Arai took his place beside him and greeted him hoarsely, but Eiji didn't bother to reply. Arai opened his bentou and began to eat his food. He ate the hardboiled egg first. He was already half way finished his lunch when Eiji shifted towards him. There was a bit of sadness in his features, Arai noticed, but he tried not to take it to heart. Whatever was about to be said, wouldn't be good for him anyway.

"Masashi-kun," Eiji said. "You remember when you made me promise to not call Atobe-sama?"

Arai nodded. "Yes, but you were too hard headed to listen."

"You're right. Fuji also warned me too… and--," Eiji stopped. Tezuka too also tried to warn him. Tezuka hadn't known his and Echizen's meddling would of led to this point but it had. He remembered now, that whispered apology the day after his and Atobe's first date. He should have heeded these warnings. However, now things had culminated into a finish. He and Atobe were over and now so were he and Arai. His heart throbbed within his chest and his ears waited to hear the verdict. Arai cleared his throat and Eiji once again turned his eyes in the younger boy's direction.

"But I was wrong too," Arai insisted. "You weren't happy. A blind man could of seen that, and I ruined it for you. Eiji!" Arai twisted and took Eiji's hands in his, rising them up to his chest. "Did Atobe say anything to you?"

Eiji's eyes widened at Arai's earnest and pleading stare. He couldn't meet that gaze for long, and he turned his face away. "This morning you were right, when you said I had already chosen…"

Arai tightned his hands around Eiji's and Eiji brought those comforting hands to his face, kissing them.

"I'm sorry, Masashi-kun!"

Arai only let out a small heart wrenchingly pitiful chuckle.

"It's ok, Kikumaru-sempai."

Eiji felt his heart throb painfully at the sound of Arai's voice calling him such an unfamiliar name. It was the same name Atobe had used to address him as well.

"Is this what happens when you can't choose?" Eiji shuddered.

"What are you talking about?"

"He… he chose Hiyoshi!" and with that Eiji broke down into sobs upon Arai's chest.

Arai didn't know how to react. His stomach churned violently within him. He was angry and yet sympathetic at once. There was this part of him, the angry side, that just wanted to push Eiji away and into the ground for having hurt him and betrayed him. And still, Arai felt like he just wanted to hold him and comfort him and tell him things would be ok. However, that would be a lie. Things weren't going to be alright. He was in love with Eiji, or at least he was pretty sure that's what he felt. He was only 15 and never had a relationship before, and yet this was so powerful and so consuming. Still, Arai resolved to be strong. He wouldn't allow himself to be tangled in this any longer. Eiji wasn't in love with him and so he couldn't do anything about that, not now. So Arai resolved the best thing to do was to push Eiji away and yet he found his body reacting contrary to these thoughts. He pulled Eiji closer and felt as his sempai buried his head into his chest. A powerful emotion, lodged in his throat, came out as a breathless groan and when he looked down he saw Kikumaru sempai's eyes staring up and into his.

"Masashi--" Eiji's voiced in a breathless whisper, his tear streaked cheeks flushed red with emotion.

Arai's grip slackened as Eiji stretched up and captured his lips in a heated kiss. The kiss was heated and filled with longing and desperation. Arai's emotions took over as he ran one of his large hands up Eiji's back and into his fluffy red hair. Eiji let out a deep and sensual moan into his partner's mouth and then the two parted for breath, both boys shaking.

"Kikumaru-sempai," Arai said, hand still tangled in the other's hair.

Eiji suddenly pulled away and hastily gathered his things together.

"Arai-kun," Eiji sighed. Without another word Eiji stood and walked towards the rooftop exit, and opening the door, he disappeared down the stairs, leaving Arai alone.

Arai let out a desperate growl and slapped his bentou, not even bothering to watch it scrape across the cement. Fist clenched he slammed down on the pavement, all sentimental emotions gone and replaced with anger.

"Kikumaru sempai," he struggled with the name, what was Kikumaru to him now? A boyfriend? A friend? A sempai. That was the answer. Their relationship had regressed.

----

Hiyoshi didn't know how to react to Taki-sempai's kiss, so he did the only thing he knew to do: run away. He cursed himself for it too. He should of took the time to calmly refuse his sempai, but now things had gotten even worse, especially since he ran into Atobe on the way out. Atobe must have been going back for his purple towel, because Hiyoshi was pretty damn sure Atobe wouldn't be looking for him. Not after he dashed his hearts into a million pieces

For the rest of the morning Hiyoshi felt like he'd never be able to breathe again. He hid under the bleachers in the basketball gym until time to change before going back to the club room. It killed him inside to know that not only did he not have Atobe any longer, but that he'd been Gekokujou'd (so to speak) out of his place. Hiyoshi dressed like a zombie. Gakuto tried to cheer him up, hanging on his shoulders and speaking giddily about maybe getting ice cream after practice. Hiyoshi was unresponsive the entire time. The only thing he noticed was Atobe's absence.

Class was even worse. Hiyoshi couldn't focus one bit. His mind kept replaying his and Atobe's relationship, the good points and the bad points. Especially the bad points. He tried to mull things over in his mind and figure out where he really went wrong. He laid his head down on his desk and stared out of the window, hoping that everything would wash away and he's wake up in bed realizing it was only a bad dream. His teachers noticed the change in his demeanor and asked if he needed to go to the infirmary, but Hiyoshi respectfully declined. By lunch he was considering just going home and skipping the remaining half of school and tennis practice. It wasn't like he was a regular anyway.

"Oi, Hiyoshi-san."

"Shishido-san, don't bug Hiyoshi-kun too much. He's been like that all day. I think he really isn't feeling well."

"Eh? That's why we have to bug him! We can't just leave him alone to mope all day, Choutarou!"

Hiyoshi weakly turned his head to regard the two boys he often spent his free time with.

"What are you talking about?" Hiyoshi asked.

Ootori flushed a little, embarrassed, "We heard about you and Atobe."

Hiyoshi looked down at his desk.

"I'm fine," he lied.

Shishido wasn't buying it and he pulled Hiyoshi up by the arm. "You are not going to mope around all day! You are coming to eat with us like usual!"

Atobe finally caught up with Hiyoshi in the library. The little gekokujou-boy was eating lunch with Choutarou and Shishido as usual, and much to Atobe's relief, Taki was nowhere in sight. He made sure to wipe any signs of worry from his face as he approached the trio.

"Wow, I really like these mushrooms," Shishido said, stealing more out of Hiyoshi's bentou.

"You can have as many as you like, I guess," Hiyoshi replied weakly.

"Aha, there you are my Wakashi kun!" Atobe said, making sure to make a grand entrance. He had all day to think about how he and Hiyoshi's reunion would transpire, and he didn't want to screw it up. "Ore-sama has been searching all over for you!"

"What's wrong with you, Atobe? Leave him alone!" Shishido asked, standing up hurriedly.

"I beg your pardon," Atobe replied. "Ore-sama was greeting, Wakashi-kun and not Shishido-san."

"Atobe," Hiyoshi turned in his seat to face his ex-boyfriend. "Did you have any luck phoning Kikumaru?"

Atobe was a bit surprised by the bold question but merely shrugged. "Ore-sama has now ch--"

His speech was interrupted by a phone call. He looked down at the display and saw it was Kikumaru. His eyes widened, he really didn't expect to receive another call from him after what happened earlier that morning.

"That must be him now," Hiyoshi said. He stood and picked up his lunch. "Please excuse me." Hiyoshi pushed past Atobe and Ohtori and Shishido quickly gathered their things in order to follow.

Atobe sighed as he watched them walk off and he turned his attention back to his phone._1 missed call, Eiji 3_

_----_

Eiji sighed and removed the phone from his ear. It was over then, Atobe didn't answer and that was that. Eiji leaned over the bathroom sink and braced himself. He had to be strong, and yet it was so hard. He felt like his body was crumbling, his knees struggled to carry his own weight or the burden of his heart. Eiji didn't want to give up and yet he saw this effort as fruitless. He lost. He looked down at the LCD once more, wondering if he should call yet again for good measure. He noticed the time, classes would be starting back up soon. He had better get to his room quick. Eiji pocketed his phone and struggled to make his way to class.

Eiji endured the rest of the day and even went to tennis practice. His mind would often drift to Atobe or sometimes his eyes would drift towards Arai who was practicing with some of the other first years. Fuji and Tezuka were training with the regulars so Eiji practiced with Inui instead, as usual.

As he and Inui hit the ball back and forth to each other, Eiji took the time to really think about his relationship with Atobe. It was very irrational and yet extremely passionate. He didn't understand why he was so drawn to him. He also took the time to think through his feelings for Arai. There was a reason why Eiji began liking Arai initially anyway. He always liked how Arai was easily riled up and hot headed too. He thought it was cute. Once they started dating though, it was like Arai faded away from his view. He was overshadowed by Atobe, and that was a true shame. Arai wasn't bad, and Eiji was sure that none of this was the younger boy's fault. Eiji was the culprit and his level of guilt raised as he found himself wishing for a second chance.

"Eiji," Inui said. "You're very distracted and your form is down 45 percent."

"Nya! Sorry!" Eiji apologized, getting in position to serve. His serve was a fail though and Inui had no problem returning it.

"Tsk. Tsk, Kikumaru-sempai," a voice chimed from Eiji's left. Eiji turned to see Arai and Satou, their rackets tucked under their arms, watching the game. Eiji knew by Arai's grin that it was him who said it.

"Aw, but Arai-kun--" Eiji allowed himself to pout and his heart rate increased just a little.

"Hmmm… good data," Inui muttered.

"What?" Eiji asked.

"It seems Arai-san's cheer has increased your focus a good percent," Inui beamed.

Eiji's grip tightened around his racket in an unknown emotion but the sound of a whistle blowing signaled the end of practice. Eiji let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and watched as Inui turned to walk towards the locker room. Eiji too turned and noticed Satou and Arai were already walking ahead.

'That's right,' Eiji thought to himself. 'We're not together anymore. He wouldn't need to wait.'

Eiji sighed at his losses and began his walk back to the gym. He lost two people today and he'd just have to learn to accept that.

---

Hyotei's practice also proceeded as usual. Atobe was a bit more strict than usual until Takada-buchou intervened, much to the Hyotei team's delight. They all went to the locker room to change again to go home. Atobe noticed Taki, Gakuto, Shishido, and Choutarou all together laughing around Hiyoshi. The sight sorely pissed him off. Where did they get off trying to comfort Hiyoshi when he had every intention to get back together with him.

"Are you sure you choose him?" a deep voice cut in through Atobe's thoughts.

"Oshitari, what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about Hiyoshi versus the Seigaku acrobat… are you sure?"

Atobe finished buttoning up his shirt and then sat down on the bench to begin putting on his shoes.

"Of course Ore-sama is sure. You wouldn't understand since you're not dating anyone," Atobe replied.

Oshitari only chuckled, "You really don't like to lose, do you?"

"Ore-sama is offended by that comment and shall ignore it."

Atobe finished buttoning his shirt and approached Hiyoshi and his friends.

"Wakashi-kun," Atobe tried approaching again, this time with a humble speech and smooth voice. "May I speak with you after you finish dressing?"

Hiyoshi nodded slowly.

"Good. Ore-sama shall meet you outside."

Atobe walked back to where his bag was and pulled it over his shoulder, refusing Kabaji's offer of assistance. Oshitari followed Atobe as he went outside,

Hiyoshi watched as Atobe and Oshitari left and let out a sigh.

"What's that all about?" Shishido scoffed.

"Shishido-san," Ohtori began. "It seems to me as if Atobe plans to apologize to Hiyoshi-san. This is very fortunate."

Hiyoshi sighed. "I don't know. You didn't hear the things he said to me this morning." Hiyoshi called to mind Atobe's declaring he didn't love him any more.

"You're right, we didn't," Gakuto Mukahi said. "This is your choice."

Taki sat down beside Hiyoshi and softly peered into his eyes. "Hiyoshi…"

Hiyoshi felt and heard the emotion in the way Taki said his name and the others did too. Shishido rolled his eyes.

Hiyoshi stood up. "I… have to meet Keigo. I'm sorry Taki-sempai!"

Hiyoshi wanted to give Atobe another chance. He wouldn't say he'd forgive him as many times as it took, however, Hiyoshi wasn't ready to live without Atobe yet. He exited the room and walked over to where he saw Oshitari and Atobe chatting beneath a tree.

"Hello," Hiyoshi greeted.

Oshitari nodded a greeting but then walked away, knowing he wasn't needed.

"Wakashi-kun… I--"

"I forgive you," Hiyoshi said, not allowing Atobe to finish.

"Why?" Atobe asked.

Hiyoshi shrugged and muttered something that sounded like gekokujou. They stood there for a while before Hiyoshi held out his hand. "Keigo. Let me see your phone."

"Why?"

Hiyoshi just continued to hold his hand out and Atobe reached in a pulled out his cell phone and Hiyoshi quickly took the device into his hand. He started pressing some buttons.

"Hey! What are you doing with Ore-sama's phone?!" Atobe gasped, reaching out to reclaim his phone.

Hiyoshi turned away and swatted at Atobe, "Deleting my rivals of course. This time we're going to this right. Let's see… Mizuki Hajime… delete. Takahisa Kojimoto… deleted… Touji Muromachi, Kita Ichiuma, Nitobe-- remind me to keep you away from Yamabuki at all times-- all deleted."

Atobe let out a nervous chuckle.

"And finally…," Hiyoshi looked up at Atobe. "Kikumaru Eiji… are you sure about this?"

Atobe groaned and snatched the phone from Hiyoshi and pressed his lips against his in a kiss. Hiyoshi moaned and Atobe pulled away. "Deleted." Atobe pressed the button and deleted that entry in his address book. He reclaimed Hiyoshi with another kiss.

---

Seigaku, after practice. Arai and Satou were walking toward the school gates when Arai heard his name being called. He turned around and saw his sempai running towards him.

"Ei-- kikumaru sempai!" Arai gasped.

Eiji came to a stop and bowed low, causing Arai to blush hard. It wasn't everyday a kohai was approached like this by a sempai.

"Masashi-kun I just want to thank you for being patient with me," Eiji said straightening up.

"Sempai…"

"I don't expect anything from you really. I've done so much wrong to deserve such kindness, nya," Eiji went on. "I thought you should know that he really rejected me this time. I've deleted his number and now guess it's time for me to move on."

There was a strained smile on Eiji's face and some tears threatened to escape from the side of his eyes, but the older boy managed to blink them away.

"Sempai…"

Arai couldn't think of what to say. That smile was so serene and so sad, and yet so true. Maybe Eiji really did find some sort of peace with this. Arai had to accept that. He bowed slightly at Eiji's apology.

"Let's start over again, ok? Sempai and Kouhai," Arai suggested.

"I'd like that," Eiji said.

There were a lot of times, especially recently when Arai couldn't tell is Eiji was telling the truth, and yet this time when their eyes met, Arai was pretty sure it was sincere. They'd been through a lot. They first met when Arai was a first year in Seigaku Jr high. It was a day much like this one as far as the weather goes. It was Arai's first time at tennis practice and Eiji was the first person to speak to him. It was only fitting that these two "met" again in this same fashion, fresh from the locker room and with their tennis bags slung over their shoulders.

Except this time Arai had a hope, that maybe things would be better , and maybe they'd get it right this time.

THE END

AN: WARNING LONG RAMBLE AHEAD! YAY! OK OK OK! I know some ppl are gonna be upset. Part of the reason why this took so long to get out is because EVERYONE wanted Eiji and Atobe together but I already originally planned it to turn out like this and I had an internal wrestling on if I should fulfill the readers wants or mine. Now DON'T go and behead me YET! The epiloge is STILL TO COME. And trust me when I say the epiloge will be much more satisfying for those who like the AtobeKikumaru pair I managed to wade through. Hmmmmm this fic took a while but it's done pretty much. What else? Uhm... I'm still not sure which character to do the epilogue's POV in. If you have an opinion feel free to express it. What else? REVEIW! uhm what else? After this what are my projects... ok I have my fic "Royal Pain, Royal Pain" but it's actually not my big priority since Humor is not my strong point. Other fics I gonna work on in the future? I might give up on my TomoMomo fic. Plans: SengokuKaidoh sequel to Gilded. An AU Pillar Pair fic. And finally the one with the most priority in my book is my Sanada and Jin fic! So anyway, look out for those upcoming projects. sorry for ranting so much. i guess i'm just talkative tonight... oh and...

REVIEW PLEASE! They make me happy and I want to know what you all think and about who POV you'd like most for the epilogue. I'm leaning more towards Atobe. ok cya... (REVIEW plz)


	24. Extra

So i wrote a whole entire epilogue from Atobe's POV and it was ANGSTY as I don't know what. I didn't want to end the story on that note so here's a light hearted and STUPID Omake thing. It's really... dumb and I'm sorry.

Omake

All seemed to be at a close, however our tale isn't quite over for Kunimitsu Tezuka. He was sitting at his desk minding his homework when BAM! The door was slid open with a bang. Tezuka didn't have to look up to know it was Atobe.

"Kunimitsu!"

Tezuka sighed and pushed his homework away, turned around in his chair, and faced his best friend who was closing the door behind him.

"Keigo--" he didn't even bother to hide his agitation.

"Ore-sama did it!" Atobe plopped down on Tezuka's bed.

"So you finally chose Hiyoshi, huh?"

Atobe nodded. "Yeah but he made me delete all of my old lover's numbers."

"That's not surprising."

There was silence and Tezuka turned back to his homework.

"Say, Kunimitsu--"

"…"

"You still have all those numbers right? May Ore-sama--"

"No!"

"Aw but why?"

"No."

"He'll never know!"

"You never learn your lesson do you?"

"Please!?"

"… Keigo for the last time--!" Tezuka began to glow gold and then his house exploded.

Minutes later, the two boys emerge from the rubble dusting themselves off. Sirens are heard in the distance as the fire department and police horridly approach.

"Ore-sama was only kidding."

"I let my guard down--" Tezuka lamented. His parents were going to kill him.

-End

AN: Thanks for reading. I posted an Atobe centric follow up to this story as a One Shot called "Something to Smile About". Check it out


	25. Epilogue

AN: because that extra was unsatisfying in SO many ways. This takes place after the extra and after the one shot i wrote called "something to smile about" which if you haven't read yet you probably should.

Epilogue - Roughly 1 Year Later

It was day one of the high school tennis city tournament and all were excited to see how the matches would turn out. Among the returning teams were the number one seeded Hyotei academy, headed by none other than Kiego Atobe with the help of Wakashi Hiyoshi. As the Hyotei team filed of their buses all of the other teams took notice. Atobe searched through the mass of heads to look for his co-captain Hiyoshi and spotted the 2nd year hand in hand getting off the bus with Haginosuke Taki.

Atobe clenched his teeth a little. It had already been some months since Hiyoshi broke up with him but the sting still lingered. He took in a breath before approaching the pair.

"Hiyoshi-san," Atobe called.

Hiyoshi directed his attention to Atobe and then something seemed to click in the little gekokujou boy's mind. "Oh right!" He gave Taki a quick peck on the cheek and walked towards his buchou.

Atobe noticed Taki staring smugly after Hiyoshi, likely watching his ass. Atobe sighed. He had to handle things maturely. This was all old news anyway. Hiyoshi and he just weren't meant for each other. There was no reason he couldn't behave civilly, especially at such a crucial time when it was the first day of the metropolitan tournament and they were both needed to register their players.

Atobe and Hiyoshi both went up to the registration booth and handed in their lineup. There they met with St Vincento (St Rudolph's high school affiliate) tennis team captain Yoshirou Akazawa and his co captain Atsushi Kisarazu who also both happened to be Manager Mizuki Hajime's boyfriends.

"This year we're going to beat you," Kisarazu stated simply as they handed in their papers and walked away.

Atobe chuckled to himself and Hiyoshi merely shrugged muttering "gekokujou" to himself. Atobe handed in the required materials and headed back to where there team would be waiting for them. Pushing through the crowd Hiyoshi and Atobe came across Seigaku's captain Shuuichirou Oishi and his co-captain Sadaharu Inui. Both Hyotei boys were surprised to not see Kunimitsu Tezuka in that position, but then Atobe remembered vaguely about Tezuka's parents not letting him spend too much time with tennis as they wanted him to attend a cram school to prepare for college.

Both team leaders exchanged friendly hellos and as they parted Atobe couldn't help but wonder a little about Eiji.

The matches were really easy and sadly predictable. Hyotei easily ascended the ranks with their line up. He knew that in the semi finals and finals they'd be there.

--------------------------------

It was the middle of the day and Hyotei already won their first matches and were awarded with a break. Ryou Shishido and Choutarou Ohtori were sitting and laughing with Yuushi Oshitari at Gakuto Mukahi's expense and Atobe even cracked a smile. Those four never ceased to amaze him. Hiyoshi and Taki sat a little ways off enjoying each others company.

"Gee I'm hungry!" Ohtori said.

Shishido touched his stomach and grmiced, "Yeah me too. I packed a lunch though."

"I don't want any of the lunch I packed," Mukahi cried. "Can we go somewhere else?"

"Do we have time?" Ohtori wondered.

All eyes turned to Atobe and their captain merely nodded.

"Yeah, why not?" Atobe replied.

"Awesome!" Mukahi cheered jumping up and down. "Come on Yuushi!"

"H,hey! I want to come too," Ohtori chimed.

"Sure, everyone can come!" Mukahi turned towards the lovely dovey couple on the bench. "Hey HiyoTaki! You coming with us?"

Hiyoshi and Taki blushed at their nickname but nodded, standing up and coming to the crowd. Atobe felt a slight pang in his chest.

"Well, have fun and be back soon. We don't have all day to loiter," Atobe said walking over to the bench once occupied by Taki and Hiyoshi and sitting down.

"Ok, cya Atobe! We'll be back soon!"

Atobe watched as his team walked off to enjoy lunch together when he noticed Kabaji standing behind the bench.

"Aren't you going to go too, Kabaji?" Atobe asked.

Kabaji nodded and pulled Jiroh up off the opposite bench and took to following the other classmates. Atobe sighed leaning his head back. He didn't want to seem antisocial but, he also didn't want to subject himself to Hiyoshi and Taki's sickening displays of affection.

"Nya! Atobe?"

Atobe started and looked to see Eiji Kikumaru staring down at him.

"K-kikumaru," Atobe managed to get out. He slid over to allow the other boy some room and Eiji sat down.

"Atobe-sama," Eiji greeted tentatively, a small smile gracing his features.

"Heh, so you found me," Atobe said, returning Eiji's smile with a proud one. "Ore-sama hasn't had the pleasure to hear from you in a while."

"I haven't heard from you either," Eiji laughed.

Atobe felt his chest tighten but his smile never wavered a bit. That is until--

"I heard about you and Hiyoshi," Eiji said.

Atobe's smile fell a bit but returned just as quickly.

"Kunimitsu told me," Eiji said, fidgetting. "I wanted to call but… I wasn't ready."

Atobe ran his fingers through his hair. "Ore-sama doesn't need the sympathy you know."

Eiji looked over at Atobe incredulously.

"So that's how it is huh?" Eiji asked. "You're just going to close up on me? I though we could talk."

"It's not like that anymore."

Eiji sighed, "Nya… you're right."

Eiji stood up to leave and Atobe knew right away that was a crucial moment. Eiji wanted something from him. He wanted Atobe to open up and talk to him. He expected Atobe to tell him that he missed him, to fill him in on all the details of the time between their last separation. Atobe opened his mouth.

"Kikumaru."

Eiji turned to Atobe, a questioning look in his eyes. Both were silent and maybe thing would have ended different if Eiji were still the same person he was a year ago. The Eiji a year ago would have bounced up and grabbed Atobe's hand, telling him they should get together sometime, and then he'd give him his cellular number. The Atobe a year ago would have laughed with a sense of superiority and declared that it was only natural Eiji would like to resume their relationship.

However, the two boys were left changed, and Atobe was again at a lost for words. Eiji too said nothing, waiting for Atobe to speak.

"It's been nice seeing you again, Kikumaru," Atobe finally managed to get out.

Eiji nodded his agreement.

"I hope you all make it to the finals or at least Kanto."

"Thank you. And same to your team. Bye!" Eiji turned on his heel and bounded off.

Atobe watched Eiji's retreating form and a surge of courage welled up in his chest.

"Kikumaru! Eiji… wait!" Atobe jumped up and quickly hastened to where the Seigaku acrobat was waiting for him.

"Yes, Atobe-sama?"

"Eiji, could I have your number?"

Eiji's eyes widened slightly and Atobe felt a slight blush creep across his own cheeks.

"N,no nothing like that. Just to--" Atobe tried to explain but Kikumaru cut him off.

"Nya Atobe maybe a year ago I would say yes but… you said it yourself. It's not like that anymore."

Atobe stood awestruck at this declaration.

"Nya, bye… Keigo!" Eiji cheerfully turned and bounded off to find his team mates leaving Atobe jilted.

Eiji rushed away from Atobe, his cheeks burning red. Who knew his feelings were still so strong after all of that time. He made it back to where the Seigaku team was and saw Fuji helping Arai stretch for their next game since they were playing singles 3.

"Hey Kikumaru-sempai," Arai greeted. "Oishi-buchou was looking for you."

Eiji only vaguely heard Arai's greeting. His mind was elsewhere, on Hyotei's buchou.

Eiji sighed and walked over to his tennis bag, plopping down beside it to commence stretching. He was still in love with Atobe but just give it time. Time heals all pain… and yet he couldn't help the small tear that ran down his ruddy cheek.

He didn't even notice he was being watched.

-------------

The tournament had ended for the day and Hyotei advanced to the semi finals. Atobe expected no less, though he was cautious (since his last experience as a captain back in junior high left much to be desired).

"Keigo, are you ready?" Hiyoshi asked, approaching his buchou.

"Yeah," Atobe smiled, draping his bag across his shoulder.

Hiyoshi smiled back weakly and clapped Atobe on the back causing Atobe's heart jump a little at the gesture.

"You did really well today, Keigo."

"Can you… can you stop calling me that?" Atobe asked.

"B,buchou--" was Hiyoshi's only response.

Footsteps were heard approaching and it was none other than Seigaku's tensai, Fuji. Fuji pushed forward and past Hiyoshi and stopped in front of Atobe.

"Did you talk to Eiji today?"

Atobe said nothing.

"He was a bit upset. I saw him crying."

"I… I didn't know. I only asked if--"

Fuji grabbed Atobe's hand and stuffed a small sheet of paper in it and flashed his blue eyes at the taller boy knowingly. Atobe stood his ground and only put on a cocky smirk. Fuji didn't seem to notice because he only turned around and walked away.

"That was… strange," Hiyoshi noted watching Fuji go. "Ready to go to the bus?"

Upon receiving no reply from Atobe he turned around and saw Atobe staring down at the small slip Fuji had handed him. A small look of astonishment passed over the haughty teen's features before dissolving into a smile. Fuji had slipped him Eiji's number.

The End

AN: THANKS for supporting Atobe, Eiji, Hiyoshi, Arai, and the rest of the Eye Contact cast! but especially thank you for supporting me! it's been a long road but we finally got here! thank you so much!


End file.
